David L. Kohn

Executive Director, Public Affairs
Union League Club of Chicago

Board of Trustees member since 2005

As Executive Director of Public Affairs at the Union League Club of Chicago, David Kohn oversees 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.  Immediate past-president of the Chicago Area Public Affairs Group, he serves on the Board of Trustees of Econ Illinois, on the Dean’s Advisory Council of DePaul University’s College of Communication, and as Secretary of the Armed Forces Council of Chicago.

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.

Mr. Kohn joined Econ Illinois’ Board of Trustees in 2005 and sits on the marketing committee.  Mr. Kohn has been a member of the American Dream Dinner committee since 2008, currently overseeing the logistics of the event’s audio and visual component.