Scott Cotenoff
Partner
Health/ Health Equity/ Public Health
Jewish Life and Learning
Social Justice/ Advocacy/ Policy
America Votes
Asociacion Interamericana Para La Defensa Del Ambiente (AIDA)
Candid
Community First Fund
Equal Justice USA
Fair Elections Center
Gemma Services
Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
Grand St. Settlement
Hamakom
Health Care Improvement Foundation
Health Federation of Philadelphia
HIAS
Impact Justice
Justice System Partners
Momentum for Health
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
National Women’s Law Center
Network for Public Health Law
NJ Institute for Social Justice
PFLAG
Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools
Race Forward
The HOPE Program
The International Center for Clean Transportation
The Public Theater
Meet Scott,
one of our Partners.
Scott Cotenoff (he/him) brings more than 30 years of experience as a nonprofit and public sector executive, attorney, and consultant, with deep expertise in strategic partnerships, mergers, and organizational collaboration. Since joining La Piana in 2013, he has led over 100 engagements guiding nonprofits and foundations through complex partnership and restructuring efforts, helping leaders make informed decisions that expand mission impact and strengthen long-term sustainability.
Scott’s consulting practice spans the full range of La Piana’s work — including mergers and alliances, strategy development, organizational change and culture, and interim leadership — but he is especially recognized for his skill in facilitating collaborative processes that balance vision with practical execution. He is known for helping organizations navigate challenging environments with clarity, equity, and inclusiveness, ensuring that diverse voices inform strategy and governance.
Prior to La Piana, Scott served in several senior leadership roles in New York City, including Senior Vice President for Programs and New Initiatives at the Partnership for the Homeless, Executive Director of both Children’s Hope Foundation and Body Positive, and legal and program leadership roles advancing public health and civil rights for people living with HIV/AIDS. He has also served on several nonprofit boards and as Interim Executive Director for multiple organizations, He currently sits on the board of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence.
Learn more about Scott in this La Piana Consulting staff interview.
🎓 Education
-
Boston University School of Law ‒ J.D.
-
Hunter College ‒ M.P.H, Urban Public Health
-
Duke University ‒ B.A., Political Science
✏️ Select Publications
- The Merger & Alliance Toolkit
- The Difference between Nonprofit and For-Profit Strategic Restructuring Processes
- Being an “Elder at work” – the other side of the Generational Divide
- Building a Dynamic Organizational Culture: It Takes More than Leaders
- Old Ways Won’t Open New Doors
- More than a Generational Shift
- Parental Leave: The Need for a National Policy to Foster Sexual Equality
“My clients thrive when we are able to collectively develop a clear understanding of impact, supported by an inclusive culture built on equity and compassion, driven by well-defined actions and structure.”