Impact Interview: Drew Taylor Cohen
Name: Drew Taylor Cohen
Role/Function: Social Impact Strategist and Alignment Coach, Chosen Directions
What are you working on these days?
I’m a social impact strategist, guiding global brands through ESG and impact reporting, strategic planning and communications. Recently, I completed the development of a corporate philanthropic strategy and began managing a refreshed impact vision and goal-setting initiative for another client in preparation for reporting season. Over the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with values-aligned partners such as Reconsidered, qb. consulting and Girls Club Collective to deliver more than a dozen impact reports, accompanying websites, streamlined operational processes and communications support for inspiring clients.
In addition to my freelance consulting work, I am an ICF-accredited coach, supporting individuals seeking greater alignment in their lives. Trained in holistic, neurodiverse and values-based practices, I bridge the practical and spiritual through one-on-one coaching and Akashic Records consultations, helping people reconnect with their inner wisdom and align with their true potential. I also created Live Authentically, a workshop and workbook designed to help people name what matters most and build their lives around it.
What was the “aha” moment that sparked your interest in social and environmental impact?
I’ve always looked for ways to combine my career with my passions. I earned a degree in music business and spent four years after college working in my "dream job" at a live music company. That role brought me to San Francisco, where I eventually transitioned into working in the tech industry.
In that position, I discovered I could merge my passions — making an impact, solving real-world problems and living compassionately — with my work once again. Perhaps naively, I hadn’t realized this was possible until I started meeting others in the tech world who were already doing this kind of work.
How did you break into the impact space? What career advice would you give to professionals who are just starting out or looking to transition?
Once I set my sights on this new career direction, I began volunteering for employee-led initiatives at the company I was already working at. This included organizing community service projects, serving as an internal ambassador for engagement and actively getting involved in the local community of change makers — building relationships and learning as much as I could.
My determination and eagerness to learn, along with being in the right place at the right time, ultimately allowed me to transition into a full-time social impact role at the same company. As I gained more experience, I advanced to leading the department, where I designed and launched a cross-sector signature program that I’m especially proud of.
If you’re looking to move into the impact space, my best advice is to talk to the team that is leading this work at your current company and see how you can help and learn from them. Make it a priority to connect with others in the industry who are already doing this work. Building relationships and learning from their experience can make all the difference.
Working in impact is often about driving change. What is the skill or trait that has been most important for your work as a change agent? How did you learn or hone it?
I’ve always enjoyed building genuine, reciprocal relationships, which has been foundational to my impact career. It’s a small industry, and it’s common to work in teams of two or fewer, so developing support beyond your immediate colleagues is essential. Looking back, nearly all of my opportunities have come from relationships I’ve built and authentically nurtured over time. Beyond fostering a sense of support in this work, this skill is crucial for successful stakeholder engagement (not to mention leadership buy-in) and for designing programs and deliverables that truly meet the needs of their intended audiences.
What most excites you about the impact space right now?
Anticipating the inevitable moment when the pendulum swings back in the opposite direction. Our industry is facing hesitation and uncertainty, which in some cases is causing progress to slow or continue quietly, with less external communication. As with all cycles, the pendulum will inevitably swing back, and the organizations and individuals who remain committed during this time will be ahead of the curve and ready to lead when momentum returns.
This season, our Impact Interviews series features members of the Change Hub, our membership community for busy sustainable business professionals. Tap into trainings, tools and a trusted network of fellow impact practitioners (including Drew!) by JOINING US HERE.