• Recommendations
• Selected Honors
• Interview in the J. Northern California Jewish Weekly (7/21/16)
Recommendations
“Sometimes I just shake my head at the difference Steve has made in our organization and program. We simply wouldn’t be where we are without him. On top of all his skills, he’s a pleasure to work with. Rare.”
Robert Menzimer
Former Executive Director
WriterCoach Connection
“Steve’s commitment, creativity and careful preparation resulted in a major leap in sophistication, breadth and depth of our stories. The legacy of his work has changed the Graduate School of Education for the better. We are more beautifully visible, more socially viable, and better able to see who we are and what we have the potential to be more clearly.”
“Steven is a tireless, productive team player who uses his versatile skills, in information services, media relations, publicity, writing/editing, advocacy and other areas in positive ways… and the quality of his work is always top notch.”
“Many thanks for your great leadership — the Bay Area Democracy Funders wouldn’t exist without your perseverance and vision!”
Myra Chow
Senior Director, Power Pathway, The San Francisco Foundation
“Steve is a creative and strategic professional, someone who takes the initiative, applies his considerable talents to an assignment and works tirelessly until all stakeholders are happy with the results. He’s responsive, personable, dependable and thoughtful, a total pleasure to work with.”
“Steve is extraordinarily talented. His ideas and accomplishments have truly enriched the Graduate School of Education.”
“Steve provided a great service with his organizing, leadership and communication.”
Thomas Layton
President Emeritus, Wallace A. Gerbode Foundation
“It was my pleasure to work with Steve during his tenure at UC Berkeley. He helped raise the Graduate School of Education’s profile in unprecedented ways. He initiated and developed several key media/news resources on the GSE website, drafted top-notch news releases and reached out to me and other public affairs colleagues, always putting GSE and the University first. I welcomed the opportunity to partner with Steve because he is a strategic communicator, savvy about politics and education, and a fellow news junkie who is channeled in to current conditions and situations.”
Kathleen Maclay
Media Relations, UC Berkeley Office of Public Affairs
“Your great messaging work, insight and commitment to education and this project will help XXX make a bigger impact in telling their story, and helped the rest of our team bridge the experience and understanding gap. I’ve been around long enough to know when someone has ‘the goods’ and the perseverance to succeed [and you have both].”
“Steve Cohen is a deeply informed and committed public policy activist. At the same time, Steve is very pragmatic and serious about supporting causes that have impact. He is also a trustworthy colleague and effective collaborator. I hope to continue to work with Steve for many years to come.”
“Steve worked closely and easily with university policymakers, professional graphic designers and web developers to deliver numerous quality print and online publications on time and within budget. As editor of two high-profile publications [Outlook and UC Notes], he always showed creativity in presenting dense, often confusing information clearly and simply, always keeping in mind the interests of his readers and presenting it in compelling new ways to give readers the best tools possible to help students aim for UC admission.”
Victoria Irwin
Former Director, New Student Communications
University of California Office of the President
Department of Student Affairs
“Steve’s transformative work leaves a great legacy at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education — from the revived Celebration of Children’s Literature to new popular events, from new print and online publications to a redesigned website, and more effective media outreach — many improvements that highlight our scholarship, teaching and service.”
“Steve has a great eye for detail as well as overall impact, plus the organizational skills to make everything run smoothly.”
Nina Zurier
Graphic Designer
“Steve has public relations and education expertise that would benefit any organization. He was always available and willing to give us immediate reports and feedback, and develop short and long-term plans. I feel extremely fortunate to have worked with and learned from this very talented person.”
Margaret DeArmond
Past President, California Mathematics Council
“Thank you, thank you! Great edits! I really appreciate the balance between copyedits and content edits, as well as your detailed understanding of the policy landscape around these issues. Very helpful suggestions and rewords.”
“I was psyched to have your wry humor and brilliant intellect wrestling with our language and our personalities.”
Derek Mitchell
CEO, Partners in School Innovation
“I first met Steve when he was working at UC Berkeley, reviving and producing Celebration of Children’s Literature events that soon became the high tide mark in terms of attendance, design, publicity, media coverage and book sales. It’s the kind of success story that one can expect from Steve because he is focused and puts in the extra miles to do more with less.”
SELECTED HONORS
Gold: Best Article of the Year, CASE District VII Awards of Excellence (2009)
Silver: Individual Student Recruitment Publications, CASE District VII Awards of Excellence (2010)
First Place: Brochure, California School Public Relations Association Excellence in Communication Awards (1996)
First Place: Newsletter, California School Public Relations Association Excellence in Communication Awards (1995)
Award of Merit: Video, California School Public Relations Association Excellence in Communication Awards (1999)
Honorable Mention: National Education Film and Video Contest (1988)
Finalist: International Television Association Video Festival (1988)