David Cohen has led a life of public service, championing those who don't have a voice and always focusing on bringing communities together, wherever he goes.
For the past two decades, David has called District 4 his home where he has been blessed to be able to raise a family and do what he can to make the community a better place for everyone. For the past 14 years, he has served on the Berryessa Union School District Board as an elected trustee, where he focused on building strong relationships with local families, teachers, staff and students.
Through his leadership on the board, he helped the district weather a protracted recession and positioned the district to take advantage of an improving economy/ Now with the pandemic, he has kept his focus on making sure all students are served through distance learning and have access to the technology, mental health services, and educational resources they need to be successful.
His focus on the board was making sure the District provided the best opportunities for students of all backgrounds to succeed. He led numerous initiatives that have made the Berryessa Union School District one of the best K-8 school districts in the Bay Area.
Just a few of his accomplishments on the board:
- Started Dual-Immersion Program in Mandarin (Spanish and Vietnamese to follow)
- Protected Smaller Class Sizes
- Preserved Music and Science Programs
- Retained Counselors and Ensured Social Workers were added at each school site
- Transitioned the Schools to Solar Energy
- Secured additional dollars for the local schools through leadership on numerous local ballot measures
In addition to serving on the school board, David has also served on the San Jose Library Commission, where he led as Chair for two years. He was a voice for local libraries and worked to ensure our local libraries stay open for the community.
David learned much of his public service values from his parents. His parents didn’t grow up with much, but did their best to provide for their family and showed David that success and opportunity could be found through education.
David earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his Ph.D from U.C Berkeley. David works as an engineer in high tech and continues to serve on the school board while attending local neighborhood association meetings (i.e – Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council, etc) to always keep up to date with what’s going on and making sure residents’ voices are heard.
Besides service life, David lives with his wife and their two kids, both products of Berryessa schools. He enjoys watching baseball and practicing his photography and most of all, attending his kids' sporting events, cheering them on embarrassingly (for them) in the bleachers.
