Danny Cohn will serve as the new Chief Executive Officer of Jewish Federation of St. Louis, Board Chair Bob Newmark announced on Wednesday, Dec. 11. Cohn brings over two decades of experience in strategic leadership, marketing, operations and community building.
Cohn joins Federation in St. Louis from the Birmingham (Alabama) Jewish Federation and Foundation, where his vision and leadership significantly deepened community engagement. His accomplishments include exceeding annual campaign targets, establishing groundbreaking partnerships and spearheading a three-year strategic plan to transform institutional integration across the region. Notably, his leadership extended through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, where he united agencies, synagogues and local institutions to foster cooperation and resilience.
“We are thrilled to welcome Danny Cohn as our next leader,” said Newmark. “Danny’s passion for Jewish communal service, combined with his proven track record of strategic innovation, makes him the ideal candidate to lead us into the future. His forward-thinking vision and inclusive approach will surely strengthen our vibrant Jewish community.”
Cohn, 47, who grew up in Omaha and has lived in Chicago and Cincinnati, said he is excited to return to the Midwest.
“Birmingham, in the Deep South, has been wonderful, but there is nothing like a good, solid Midwestern city like St. Louis,” said Cohn in a phone interview, adding that the Birmingham Jewish community totals around 5,000. “St. Louis is very attractive for many reasons, including the energy from those 35-to-45-year-olds who are really stepping out in the philanthropic landscape to make things happen. We’re not seeing a lot of young leadership across the country. St. Louis is punching above its weight when it comes to the philanthropy efforts of the millennials.”
Cohn’s career spans global marketing for familiar brands like Starbucks, Burger King and Allstate Insurance, as well as community engagement initiatives at the Arbor Day Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Omaha. His career pivot in 2020 to serve Jewish communities stems from a profound desire to align his work with his values, spurred by the birth of his daughter Nora, now 9 years old.
Under Cohn’s leadership, Jewish Federation will focus on implementing its strategic vision of positioning Federation as a central philanthropic organization. The strategic plan emphasizes strengthening community partnerships and agile grantmaking, being the go-to source for leadership resources and enhancing communications to bring awareness to the compassionate work being done in St. Louis, in Israel and around the world.
Incoming Jewish Federation Board Chair Todd Siwak added, “Danny’s skills, values and experiences are perfectly aligned with the priorities of our new strategic plan that our board approved earlier this year.”
The fact that there is a new strategic plan in place was another aspect that attracted Cohn to the job.
“It’s so often that Jewish communities say that they want things or think that they want things, but St. Louis has really put the time and the energy into mapping out its course so that we are impactful and empowering not only in St. Louis but also abroad,” said Cohn. “Knowing that there is this amazing plan coupled with this really great passion from younger leaders — I’m excited to hop in and see how far we can (go).”
He added: “Right out of the gate, in my opinion, is how can we better steward and serve our donors. That to me is the most important question that’s going to be asked on Day One.”
In a statement, Federation cited Cohn’s dedication to fostering intergenerational collaboration and his ability to inspire donors and volunteers of all ages as a hallmark of his leadership. His success in integrating community stakeholders to achieve common goals ensures a promising future for the St. Louis Jewish community, the statement continued.
“We are at a pivotal time in the history of Jewish life. I am excited to help harness the power of the St. Louis community to collaboratively do good and make a profound impact and investment in our future, for Jews here at home and across the globe,” Cohn said. He is scheduled to officially start in March but will be communicating with the Federation team in St. Louis over the next couple of months.
The Federation’s announcement is the culmination of a six-month search process co-chaired by Abby Goldstein and Craig Rosenthal. Gabai Strategic Advisors, led by Daniel Ripps, was also instrumental to the search.
“I’m so thrilled about the selection of Danny as our next CEO. From the moment we met Danny, his passion for the work the Federation does was evident and very contagious. He backed that up with thoughtful analysis of our new strategic plan and showed a clear understanding of how he can use his strengths to benefit the St. Louis community,” Goldstein said. “He’s the perfect CEO for our Federation’s needs now and in the future. I can’t wait to see where he takes us.”
Cohn will be joined in St. Louis by his husband, Andrew Miller, their daughter, and their beloved Wheaton Terrier.
