Danny Cohen

While Danny Cohen (he/him), head of STEM, North America at Impellam Group, spends a large part of his workday formally working to advance DE&I in the workplace, his passion for the cause extends far beyond the 9-to-5 hours. Known to his colleagues as a tireless advocate who truly “walks the walk,” Cohen understood the importance — and often deficiencies — of equity and inclusion from a young age. “As a child of a single working mom, I saw the struggle my mom faced firsthand and wanted to be able to positively impact diverse communities and bring greater independence and career satisfaction,” Cohen says.

In recent years, Cohen has sought to make this positive impact by creating career pathways for anyone who desires a career in STEM regardless of their experience level, including individuals from underserved, underrepresented communities. Cohen, along with Impellam Group’s DE&I team, launched the STEM Council for Good, which partners with diverse nonprofit organizations, companies, allies and job seekers to expand DE&I throughout the ecosystem. Under his leadership, the council provides mentoring and partnership programs, career coaching, mock interviews, résumé workshops and more. Of Cohen’s lengthy list of accomplishments, he names founding the STEM Council for Good as his proudest.

My goal is to demonstrate, through tangible actions, how the impact of a single individual can make the difference in the lives of a few … or many.

“My goal is to demonstrate, through tangible actions, how the impact of a single individual can make the difference in the lives of a few … or many,” Cohen says, “whether that’s with a young person you are mentoring, a client you are coaching on best practice DE&I strategies or the volunteer organization you are supporting in your local community.”

Outside of his work at Impellam Group, Cohen supports nonprofits that advocate for LGBTQIA+ communities and the mentorship of women. For Cohen, the positive influences of these groups goes beyond immediate interactions with members. “They in turn advocate for others like themselves and their broader communities,” he says. “The beauty of DE&I work is that the impact is felt far and wide from a single ripple.”