Areas of Expertise
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Composition & Board Development
- Structure & Culture
- Strategic Thinking & Planning
- Assessments
- Governance Design & Support
Ann Cohen is an independent consultant based in Washington, DC and has served as a Senior Governance Consultant for BoardSource since 2004. She is committed to working with her clients to help them define and execute strategy, governance, learning, and whatever it takes to identify and achieve high performing practices.
With over 25 years in the nonprofit sector as a consultant, board leader, program director and faculty member, Ann’s work spans board development, management effectiveness, strategic planning, implementation and program design. She believes in “making it work”’ and thus works in partnership with her clients to deliver the leadership training, coaching, conflict resolution, and learning required to lead and act. Ann’s practice led to the creation of PRESIDE, a nationwide leadership program for board chairs and CEOs learning at the intersection of leadership and governance through a values-based lens.
Her clients include national, regional and international organizations: Anti-Defamation League, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Russell Berrie Foundation, Hebrew Free Loan Society, Intellectual Property Owners Association, NYU Leadership Initiative, Hillel International, DOROT, Inc., Goodwill of the Greater East Bay, Powerhouse Arts, The Washington Center, United States Department of Justice, and the Department of Agriculture Hass Avocado and Cotton Boards.
Corporation programs focus on training, strategic plans, community based social responsibility, engaging corporate leaders in the nonprofit sector, and more. Clients include BP, Thrivent Financial, HSBC, Liberty Mutual, Chevron, Medtronic, Cardinal IP, Crossroads Systems, and SRA.
Prior to her consulting practice, Ann was Vice President at EDS, now HP, where she secured and ran a $3.5 billion base of business in financial markets, law enforcement and aeronautics. Her career began as a Justice Department attorney, where she litigated cases across the U.S. and in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ann lives what she does, having served on many nonprofit boards in the areas of social justice, education, religion, and community building including the United Way of the National Capital Area, United States-Israel Science and Technology Commission, and HIAS. Ann graduated cum laude from Clark University and earned her juris doctor from Antioch School of Law.
Ann specializes in:
- Governance development, structure & assessment
- Governance & leadership program design
- Strategic planning
- Board culture & engagement
- Executive coaching for Chairs, CEOs & board leaders