Brad cohen biography
Brad Cohen is an inspiring American motivational speaker, former teacher, school administrator, author, and advocate who lives with severe Tourette syndrome (TS).
Born on December 18, 1973, he faced significant challenges growing up due to his condition, including bullying, misunderstanding from teachers, and social rejection because of involuntary tics and vocal outbursts. Despite being mislabeled as a troublemaker, he turned his experiences into motivation to become “the teacher he never had.”
Brad Cohen works in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, where he teaches second grade at Tritt Elementary. Prior to that he was the technology lab teacher at Stripling Elementary in Gwinnett County, and before that a teacher of second and third grades in Cobb County at Mountain View Elementary, where he was named Georgia’s First Class Teacher of the Year.
There, he started the “Take Heart in Reading” literacy program and chaired the American Cancer Society “Relay for Life” team for his school. For three years he chaired that event for all of Cobb County.Brad has served as Vice President of the Board of Governors for the Tourette Syndrome Association of Georgia, and also founded an overnight camp for children with Tourette syndrome. He is a sought-after motivational speaker; served as the team mascot “Homer” for the Atlanta Braves; and coached a fourth grade Little League team.A native of St. Louis, Brad held local, national, and international positions in the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization.
Brad cohen College Life
He has a bachelor’s degree from Bradley University (Peoria, IL), where he graduated cum laude with honors and received their Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. Brad was in several honor societies, including Mortar Board, Order of Omega, and Pi Lambda Theta; served as president of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and the B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation; and received the Campus Contact’s Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian Award, and the Student Senate Presidential Award for Outstanding Achievement. He was also named Who’s Who among students in American Universities and Colleges. Brad has earned master’s and specialist’s degrees from Georgia State University, and is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Leadership Academy for aspiring school administrators.Brad has received many other awards, including WHOI-TV Person of the Week and St. Louis Area United Way Volunteer of the Month; he was a Ben & Jerry’s Citizen Cool semi-finalist; and he was recognized by the Atlanta Braves and BellSouth with an Excellence in Education award.He is active in the Jewish community as a volunteer organizer of a service-learning day camp, and was named counselor of the year when he was a staff member at a Georgia summer camp.
Brad also authored a chapter in the book, Getting Personal—Stories of Life with TS, by Michael DeFilippo.
As a child with Tourette Syndrome, Brad Cohen was ridiculed, beaten, mocked, and shunned. Other children, teachers, and even sometimes family members found it difficult to be around him. His mother’s encouragement and his brother’s support were key elements that kept him going. College and then job hunting brought new challenges, but he continued to strive toward his goal to be a teacher and was rewarded when he was named Georgia’s First Class Teacher of the Year.
Even today Brad is ejected from movie theaters and restaurants. Nothing has stopped him from taking leadership roles in a variety of settings and being a role model for others. This story of personal challenge and unwavering determination proves anyone can make their dreams come true. No one can hear Brad’s story and fail to see the power of a positive attitude.
Brad cohen Origin
Brad is from Atlanta, Georgia and is an Area Lead Teacher for Cobb County Schools. He is responsible for teaching the teachers. Prior to that he taught 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and was a technology lab teacher.
Brad has served as Vice President of the Board of Governors for the Tourette Syndrome Association of Georgia, and also founded an overnight camp, “Camp Twitch and Shout” for children with Tourette syndrome. Part of Brad’s past included being the team mascot “Homer” for the Atlanta Braves Baseball team.
Brad cohen Academic Life
A native of St. Louis, he has a bachelor’s degree from Bradley University (Peoria, IL), where he graduated cum laude with honors and received their Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. Brad has earned master’s and specialist’s degrees from Georgia State University, and graduated from both the Gwinnett County Leadership Academy for aspiring school administrators and Cobb County’s Leadership Academy.
Brad cohen Achievment
Brad has received many other awards, including St. Louis Area United Way Volunteer of the Month; he was a Ben & Jerry’s Citizen Cool semifinalist; and he was recognized by the Atlanta Braves and BellSouth with an Excellence in Education award. Brad recently got married to his wife Nancy and still works with the community.
Brad was featured on Oprah, People Magazine, CNN and Inside Edition after the release of his award-winning book, Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had, in September 2005. His book was named the “Education Book of the Year” for the Independent Book Publishers. CBS featured Brad’s “Hallmark Hall of Fame” movie about his life in December 2008. He is now a motivational speaker and inspires people to keep a positive attitude and to follow their dreams.
And with that, I’m pleased to introduce you to, Mr. Brad Cohen.