Folger Shakespeare Library Board of Governors Elects Florence Cohen as Chair

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2026

Cohen will lead the board through a strategic planning process as the cultural organization nears its 100th anniversary

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Folger Shakespeare Library Board of Governors has elected Florence Cohen as Chair of the Board of Governors. Cohen, who has served as Board Vice Chair since 2022 and as a Board member since 2017, will work with Folger Director Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper to steer the organization's strategic planning process over the next 12 months in addition to planning for the Folger's centennial in 2032.

"I feel lucky to have been a part of the transformative work the Folger has done over the past several years," said Cohen. "We are now entering a phase of work full of promise, and the amazing people who shepherd the work that the Folger does across education, performance, research, exhibitions, and collections are poised to help current and future generations find meaning and joy in Shakespeare and the humanities."

A retired public relations and marketing communications leader, Cohen's professional credits include leading the financial and professional services group at PR agency Weber Shandwick in Minneapolis, and before that, directing public affairs for Sandoz Nutrition. She worked for Burson-Marsteller public relations in New York, and later, the pharmaceutical division of Miles Inc. (Bayer). In the non-profit sector, Cohen worked with the University of Chicago Press, The University of Chicago Magazine, and the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. She is a recipient of the Public Relations Society of America's Silver Anvil award for crisis communications. She is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and holds an MAT in English from the University of Chicago and a BA from Saint Olaf College.

"Flo has been a dedicated supporter of the Folger, and she brings a great deal of energy and insights to the Board of Governors," said Dr. Karim-Cooper. "I am thrilled to work with her on our strategic planning process, as I know we share the vision to use Shakespeare, the humanities, and all the resources of the Folger to foster a healthy democracy."

Cohen succeeds D. Jarrett Arp, who is stepping down from the Folger's Board after serving as Chair since 2022 and as a member since 2015.

About the Folger Shakespeare Library

The Folger Shakespeare Library showcases the utility of Shakespeare and the humanities in cultivating healthy civic life. Anchored by the world's largest Shakespeare collection, the Folger is also home to a world-renowned collection of books, manuscripts, and prints from the 1500s to the early 1700s. Visitors to the Folger can choose how they want to experience the arts and humanities, from interactive exhibitions to captivating performances, and from pathbreaking research to transformative educational programming. The Folger fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, and welcomes visitors from Washington, DC and from across the globe. Learn more at folger.edu.