Elisabeth (Lis) Cohen is Senior Program Manager at the Talking Climate Collaborative, where she brings more than two decades of experience spanning climate science, policy, education, communications, and government leadership. Prior to joining the Talking Climate Collaborative, Lis served as Adaptation and Resilience Manager for the City and County of Denver, helping advance climate resilience planning and implementation. Earlier in her career, she worked as a scientist at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) COMET Program and as Science Communications Manager at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA/CNT) in Boulder, Colorado. From 2012–2014, she served as Education and Training Specialist for the National Park Service Climate Change Response Program.

Lis has built her career translating climate science into practical action and accessible communication. She holds a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University with a focus on climate and environmental policy. During graduate school, she worked on the climate adaptation team at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, helping support federal climate resilience efforts.

Before Princeton, Lis taught at the University of Utah and worked in the Utah Governor’s Office on energy and climate policy. She also earned a master’s degree in meteorology from the University of Utah, where her research examined the effects of clouds on climate.

Her early career blended science, education, and public engagement. Lis worked as a science educator, presenter, and exhibit planner at the Museum of Science in Boston, the Franklin Institute, the Blue Hill Weather Observatory, and Yellowstone National Park. She also contributed to climate journalism as a reporter for Climate Central and wrote the monthly Satellite Educator’s Newsletter column.

Lis earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, where she double majored in Atmospheric Science and Science of Earth Systems with a concentration in Climate Dynamics. While at Cornell, she worked on the Mars Exploration Rover mission and helped teach the public about its scientific discoveries.

Throughout her career, Lis has served as a bridge between climate science, policy, and public understanding—helping diverse audiences navigate complex climate issues and translate knowledge into meaningful action.