Professor, Claremont Graduate University, and President of Urban School Imagineers, Long Beach, California
Nominated By: Keith Ballard
Dr. Cohn has personified the valuable role of a research practitioner, expanding the field of education in a variety of ways. An educator with experience in both urban and college-level education Cohn is presently a clinical professor of urban school leadership at Claremont Graduate University and President of Urban School Imagineers, Long Beach, California. As the former superintendent for the Long Beach Beach Unified School District, he spearheaded a dramatic turnaround in that school system as it emerged as one of the leading urban school districts in the nation. In 2000, Dr. Cohn was America’s longest serving urban superintendent and during this tenure he made the school district a model for high academic standards and accountability. Through exemplifying commitment to leadership and improved student achievement, he won the McGraw Prize in 2002 and the district won the Broad Prize in 2003. In 2002, Dr. Cohn served as Clinical Professor for the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California and went on to become an Independent Court Monitor for the Los Angeles Federal District Court. From 2005-2007, Dr. Cohn served as the Superintendent of San Diego Unified School District and recently served as a Leader in Residence at the College of Education at San Diego State University before joining the Claremont Graduate University faculty.
Cohn earned his Ed.D in Urban and Educational Policy and Planning from the University of California Los Angeles; MA in Counseling from Chapman University; and a BA in Philosophy from St. John’s College.
