David L. Cohen


David L. Cohen is an American businessman, attorney, and lobbyist in Pennsylvania. He is a confidant of former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell. He serves as chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and as senior executive Vice President and chief of lobbying for Comcast.

Early life and education

Born to a Jewish family, Cohen graduated from Swarthmore College in 1977, where he triple majored in political science, history and economics, and in 1981 he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Career

He served as Chief of Staff to Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell from January 1992 to April 1997. He was a partner in Ballard, Spahr, Andrews & Ingersoll. In July 2002, he became Executive Vice President of Comcast Corporation, dealing with corporate communications, government affairs, public affairs, corporate administration, and serving as senior counselor to the CEO.
The Pennsylvania Report named him to the 2003 "The Pennsylvania Report Power 75" list of influential figures in Pennsylvania politics, noting that "No one–in or out of government–is closer to Ed Rendell than Cohen. No major policy decision, personnel, political or other decision will be made without his imprimatur or veto." In 2009, the Pennsylvania Report named him to "The Pennsylvania Report 100" list of influential figures in Pennsylvania politics, and called him "one Philadelphian that all statewide Dems should know." He was named to the PoliticsPA "Power 50" list of politically influential individuals in 2002 and 2003. In 2010, Politics Magazine named him one of the "Top 10 Democrats" in Pennsylvania. In April 2014, Philadelphia magazine listed him as the third most powerful person in Philadelphia and the Number One 'Connector' in its 75 Most Influential People Right Now list.
In February 2013, Cohen endorsed sitting Republican Governor Tom Corbett's failed re-election bid.