MATTHEW COHEN
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Matthew Cohen is a high-impact, entrepreneurial executive with a demonstrated commitment to educational access and social justice.
He is founder (2008) and Managing Director of Cohen Strategy Group, LLC, a leading firm focused on growing companies which seek to transform and improve the education landscape. Cohen leads the firm’s work with global companies, national foundations and state-based organizations to design and implement strategies to increase post-secondary completion and labor market success, especially for low-income youth and working adults.
On behalf of clients, Cohen is focused on consistently identifying & closing new business, as well as establishing and expanding meaningful, value-added partnerships (e.g. distribution networks). For a portfolio of clients—both public and private—he is responsible for business development and outreach to key stakeholders, helping partners maximize business opportunities, constituent experiences and community investments.
Before starting Cohen Strategy Group, Cohen served as founding member of executive leadership team at ConnectEDU—at the time, the nation’s leading education-technology company focused on youth transitions. He led the expansion from 4 to 40 states, and grew academic partners from 12 to 1,600+ representing over 1,000,000 student end-users. At ConnectEDU, Cohen drove the acquisition of $40M in venture capital investments by establishing a track record of company successes.
Under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Cohen served as the Special Advisor for Strategic Alliances & Initiatives for the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the primary business development arm of the City of New York. An entrepreneur himself, Cohen founded and secured institutional funding for the Internet’s first consumer-facing college and financial aid advisory platform. A sought-after advisor to political candidates and elected officials on the issues of education technology and workforce development, Cohen began his public service career as Director of Field Operations for US Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro for whom he also served a tour on Capitol Hill.
He is a graduate of The George Washington University, as well as the Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives.