Jennifer Cohan – President, ABC Delaware

Jennifer Cohan is the President of ABC Delaware, having assumed the role in January 2025. With over 35 years of leadership experience across public administration, education, and nonprofit sectors, she brings a transformative vision to support the state’s thriving construction industry

From 2020 to 2025, Cohan served as CEO of Leadership Delaware, Inc. (LDI), a prestigious statewide leadership development organization. During her tenure, she significantly expanded programming across New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties, introduced partnerships to enhance geographic representation, and pivoted to smaller cohort formats during the pandemic, ensuring continuous, impactful fellow interaction .

Previously, Cohan enjoyed a distinguished 31-year career in Delaware state government. She served as Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Transportation from 2015 to 2020 and as Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles from 2007 to 2015. In these roles, she managed thousands of employees and drove key initiatives, including securing $350 million in additional revenue for infrastructure and overhauling DMV operations.

A lifelong advocate for lifelong learning, Cohan holds a B.S. in Business Management and an M.S. in Management/Public Administration from Wilmington University. She also completed studies at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania and has served as an adjunct professor since 2008, teaching in Wilmington University’s graduate leadership and public policy programs.

Her board service spans numerous nonprofit and business organizations statewide, and her leadership style is often described as direct, nurturing, and impactful—frequently applying “tough love” to drive fellow growth while remaining approachable and supportive.

Cohan attributes much of her career grounding to her mentor, former State Senator Nancy Cook. Her guiding advice: “Don’t get too full of yourself and don’t forget where you came from” a lesson Cohan continues to embody in her service to Delaware.