The NYSCA is saddened to notify the Association's members, friends, and professional family of the passing of Dale Cohen, DC, MSHSA, MBA.
Dr. Cohen, a 1980 Logan College of Chiropractic graduate, held many leadership positions in the NYSCA including as District 12 President and Delegate to the NYSCA House of Delegates in the early 1980s. Dale was elected to the NYSCA Board of Directors in 1985 and reelected to the Board in 1987. He served as NYSCA Treasurer from 1989 to 1991 and as NYSCA Vice President from 1991-93 and finally as President of the Association from 1993-95. In 1995 he was voted "Chiropractor of the Year" by his local District.
In 1995, Cohen was eligible to be reelected to the Board as the NYSCA President but declined to run for a second term, in part, to allow Leonard Venezia, DC to move up to the President's position and because Dr. Cohen started to prepare for a return to school. Cohen continued to serve on the Association's Board of Directors, however, as Immediate Past President of the Association from 1995-1999. Dale also served the NYSCA as chair of the Association's Medicare Committee and represented the Association in the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations (COCSA) as well as serving as COCSA's Secretary. In 1996, Dr. Cohen was the recipient of the NYSCA's highest award and honor: the "Ernest G. Napolitano Award" given in recognition of his decades-long, selfless contributions to the Association and to the chiropractic profession in New York state.
In 1998, Cohen sold his Syracuse/Camillus practice in upstate New York to return to school where he followed a dual-degree track earning a Master's of Science Degee in Health Services Administration (MSHSA) from the University of Central Florida in January 2000 and a Master's Degee in Business Administration (MBA) in April 2001. While at the University of Florida, Cohen met and married fellow University classmate, Sonia Gamboa, MD, a maxillofacial surgeon from Bogata, Columbia in December 2000.
In addition to attending the University of Florida, Dr. Cohen also served the profession as President of the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations (COCSA) for two consecutive terms. Following graduation from the University of Florida, Cohen landed a position as Support Clinician with United Healthcare's Managed Physical Network ((MPN) - later Optum Health) in Kingston, New York. He later became the CCO of the Optum's San Diego office and then, a few years ago, he and Sonia returned to Florida as part of Optum's product organization.
Dale was vacationing and visiting his wife's family and friends in Columbia, South America when he was stricken and passed away suddently on Sunday, May 21. The NYSCA family extends the Association's sincerest condolences to Dr. Cohen's family. To all who had the occasion to interact with Dr. Cohen, know that he will be missed.
