About Tes Cohen (she/her/ella)

Gather Better Founder + Chief Gathering Officer

My life purpose is to foster belonging and continuous learning by creating spaces that center community and curiosity.

I delight in doing exactly that by designing and facilitating transformative gatherings with purpose-driven organizations.

My Background

I’ve been a gatherer for as long as I can remember, from spearheading neighborhood hang-outs where we played “school” to founding Avon High School’s T.R.E.E. Club (Teens Respecting Earth’s Environment).

My 15+ years of gathering experience include:

  • Facilitating women’s empowerment trainings in rural Costa Rica as a Peace Corps volunteer.

  • Putting on an 80-person summit (2x in person, 1x virtual) with Gap Inc.’s CSR (corporate social responsibility) team.

  • Leading professional development workshops for high school students in NYC and Denver.

Outside of work, you can find me rock climbing, biking, and exploring the latest exhibit at the Denver Art Museum. Oh! And ask me about the front yard concerts I host.

I have my MA in Public Administration from NYU and BA in Psychology and Spanish from Connecticut College. I’ve also completed facilitation trainings from Technology of Participation (TOP) and Colorado Humanities and served as a TA for Voltage Control’s facilitation certification in fall of 2024.

Learn more:

  • Check out my detailed resume + LinkedIn

  • Here’s my user guide (manual for colleagues that outlines how best to work with me ). Want to write your own? Check out this ‘how to’ from my LinkedIn article series, Tes’ Toolkit for Virtual Teams

Core Values

  • Continuous Learning + Improvement

    I pride myself on always looking beyond the status quo or doing something because that’s the way it’s always been done. I will support you and your team to do just that.

  • Intentionality

    I bring intention to everything I do. When it comes to gatherings, this means bringing intentionality to every moment, maximizing engagement AND impact.

  • Joy

    Whatever the context, I incorporate infectious enthusiasm. I firmly believe it’s possible (and far preferable!) to be joyous and have fun while we change the world.

Fun Facts (by the numbers)

  • 4

    Weddings I’ve officiated

  • 19

    Age when I summited Mount Kilimanjaro with my dad

  • 27

    Months I lived in rural Costa Rica as a Peace Corps Volunteer

  • 30

    (And counting!) Countries I’ve visited (favorites include Turkey, Cuba, and India)

  • 3,125

    Miles I biked across from California to Florida with Bike the US for MS.