Nominated by President Joe Biden and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, David L. Cohen served as the United States Ambassador to Canada from 2021 to 2025.
Before his tenure in Canada, Ambassador Cohen served as Senior Advisor to the CEO and Senior Executive Vice President of Comcast NBCUniversal, where his portfolio included corporate communications, legal affairs, government and regulatory affairs, public affairs, corporate administration, corporate real estate and security, and community impact. Ambassador Cohen also served as the company’s first chief diversity officer.
Ambassador Cohen previously served as a partner in and Chair of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP. From January 1992 to April 1997, Ambassador Cohen served as Chief of Staff to the Honorable Edward G. Rendell, the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.
Ambassador Cohen also has served on many nonprofit boards, including as chair of: the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and its executive committee; the board of directors and the executive committee of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; the Philadelphia Theatre Company; the FIFA 2026 World Cup Philadelphia Bid Committee; the board of trustees of City Year and its executive committee; and of the corporate board of advisors of UnidosUS. Ambassador Cohen also served as a member of the board of directors of the National Urban League and of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. In addition, Ambassador Cohen served on the board of directors of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and PNC Bank, National Association and as a member of the board of directors of FS Global Credit Opportunities Fund.
Ambassador Cohen has received numerous awards for his civic and charitable activities, including six honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from U.S. universities, including the University of Pennsylvania.
A native of New York, Ambassador Cohen graduated with a B.A. from Swarthmore College in 1977 and with a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, summa cum laude, in 1981.
Ambassador Cohen lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Rhonda R. Cohen.
