MARILYN COHN
Summary
Results-oriented International Development Executive with over 20 years of experience in global non-profit operations, humanitarian response, and community health initiatives across diverse regions. Led strategic planning and implementation of donor-funded programs, child protection efforts, and sustainable livelihoods, effectively managing cross-functional teams in resource-constrained environments.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Executive Officer
Chosen Children International
01.2000 - Current
- Provide executive leadership for international NGO operations across Kenya and the United States, overseeing strategic planning, organizational growth, fundraising, program implementation, operational management, donor engagement, and long-term humanitarian development initiatives.
- Helped raise more than $5 million supporting education, child development, nutrition, public health, and humanitarian initiatives throughout East Africa.
- Directed organizational budgeting, donor compliance, procurement processes, operational systems, fundraising initiatives, grant oversight and program accountability efforts supporting humanitarian operations and organizational growth.
- Led multi-sector community programs focused on child protection, education, nutrition, public health. Poverty reduction, family stabilization, economic empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods.
- Impacted over 3000 children, families, and community members through education, nutrition, child development, economic empowerment, and humanitarian support initiatives.
- Developed and expanded Saturday Child Development Programs throughout multiple Kenyan regions focused on improving nutrition, educational performance, disease prevention awareness, hygiene education, and long-term child development support for orphans and vulnerable children.
- Opened and supported seven schools throughout Kenya focused on improving educational access, child development, literacy advancement, nutritional awareness, and long-term community stability.
- Developed and led an eight-week micro-enterprise training and loan initiative supporting widows and caregivers of vulnerable children, achieving an 85% loan repayment success rate while strengthening long-term economic empowerment and sustainability.
- Worked directly with Kenyan government officials including the Vice President of Kenya, Members of Parliament, chiefs, district development leaders, and community stakeholders to secure 20 acres of government land supporting long-term NGO operations and community development initiatives.
- Recruited, trained, and led more than 60 volunteers while overseeing operations, staffing coordination, and community engagement efforts.
- Established African import store to support NGO funding and sustainability efforts.
- Maintained humanitarian operations and safeguarding efforts during 2007 Kenyan post-election violence, protecting vulnerable populations and ensuring continuity of community operations.
Medical/Public Health Coordinator
World Relief
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Directed emergency public health and child protection operations for a refugee children’s shelter supporting displaced Rwandan children during the post-genocide humanitarian crisis.
- Worked directly with UNHCR supporting humanitarian coordination meetings, emergency preparedness initiatives, and refugee support operations.
- Supervised multidisciplinary national and expatriate teams delivering health services, psychosocial support, safeguarding initiatives, nutritional programs, and humanitarian case management operations.
- Developed supplementary feeding program for malnourished children in refugee camp, training Rwandan dietician to identify malnutrition.
- Trained and supervised 10 Rwandan social workers in safeguarding practices and case management, enhancing child protection procedures.
- Navigated conflict-zone conditions with calm decision-making while held at gunpoint, safeguarding $10,000 of project funds.
Community Health Educator
Lumiere Medical Ministries
Les Cayes, Haiti
- Delivered community-based public health education programs on maternal and child health, sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, and family planning in rural Haitian communities, enhancing community health awareness.
- Conducted door-to-door nutrition, sanitation, and family planning education, empowering mothers and families in underserved rural communities to make informed health decisions.
- Collaborated closely with local nurses, healthcare workers and community leaders to strengthen vaccination outreach, preventive healthcare access, and health education initiatives.
- Facilitated participatory community health assessments supporting program development and resource allocation strategies.
- Built trusted relationships with local families and community stakeholders in resource-constrained environments, fostering collaboration to improve long-term public health outcomes.
Education
Certificate - Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster
Harvard University
Post-Graduate Studies - International Affairs
Seton Hall University, School of Diplomacy
Certificate - Multilateral Diplomacy
UNITAR
GenevaBA - French and Education
Hofstra University
Post-Graduate Coursework - Social Work
San Francisco State University
Skills
- Risk Mitigation
- Strategic Planning
- Crisis management
- Fundraising
- Grant Management
- Program Operations
- Partnership Development
- Organizational Development
- Capacity Building
- Humanitarian Operations
- International Development
- Child Protection and Safeguarding
- Community Development
- Cross-Cultural Leadership
- Team Leadership
- Advocacy and Public Speaking
- Team Leadership
- Advocacy and Public Speaking
Websites
Languages
- French, Fluent
- Spanish, Conversational
- English, Native
Countries Of Experience
- Mali
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Rwanda
- Uganda
- Kenya
- Haiti
- The Philippines
- Mexico
Executive Highlights
- Humanitarian Coordination and Refugee Support operations, Directed humanitarian response, refugee support initiatives, emergency nutrition interventions, and public health operations within conflict-affected environments serving displaced children, vulnerable families, and underserved populations.
- Child Nutrition and Maternal-Child Health leadership, Led nutrition education, supplementary feeding programs and child-focused wellness programs across refugee camps, schools, rural villages, and underserved international communities.
- Global Stakeholder and Government Relations, Built Strategic partnerships with NGO’s, UNHCR government officials, faith-based organizations, humanitarian coordination, and operational growth initiatives.
- Crisis leadership and operational resilience, Successfully navigated political instability, post-election violence, land disputes, humanitarian crises, and war zone operations while maintaining organizational continuity, safeguarding vulnerable populations and protecting long term humanitarian initiatives.
Timeline
Chief Executive Officer
Chosen Children International
01.2000 - Current
Medical/Public Health Coordinator
World Relief
Community Health Educator
Lumiere Medical Ministries
Certificate - Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster
Harvard University
Post-Graduate Studies - International Affairs
Seton Hall University, School of Diplomacy
Certificate - Multilateral Diplomacy
UNITAR
BA - French and Education
Hofstra University
Post-Graduate Coursework - Social Work
San Francisco State University