David Kohn

Chicago

NPR Illinois Community Advisory Board
July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2024 - Second Term
July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2021 - First Term

Illinois Issues Advisory Board
pre-July 1, 2017

As Executive Director of Public Affairs at the Union League Club of Chicago, David Kohn oversaw the Club’s public policy advocacy activities, serves as its liaison to local, state and federal government officials, and works to build coalitions with other civic organizations. A past-President of the Chicago Area Public Affairs Group, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Better Government Association, the Board of Trustees of Econ Illinois (formerly the Illinois Council on Economic Education), the Advisory Board of Illinois Issues magazine, and the Dean’s Advisory Council of DePaul University’s College of Communication.

Mr. Kohn’s background includes over 20 years of experience in media and government. He served for many years as press secretary to former U.S. Congressman John Porter. In that role he directed the Congressman’s media relations and was spokesman for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services and Education that Representative Porter chaired until his retirement.

Before joining the Union League Club, Mr. Kohn was a Senior Public Policy Advisor at Holland & Knight LLP in Chicago, and he also served as Director of Communications for former Illinois Lieutenant Governor Corinne Wood. Prior to his government service, he worked as a reporter and talk show host at radio stations in the Chicago area and produced nationally-syndicated public affairs programming.

Mr. Kohn earned his bachelor’s degree in English from DePaul University in Chicago and a master’s degree in Communication Studies from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.