Katheleen Sullivan Coen, an Attorney and a Registered Nurse, is a native of West Brighton, Staten Island.  She is admitted to the New York Bar, the Federal Bar, and the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.
 
Each of her three children attended the Genesis Program at Xaverian, with her two sons going on to Xaverian High School.
 
A graduate of Fordham College and Fordham Law School, Mrs. Coen worked as a Prosecutor for many years in the Office of the New York County District Attorney, and the Office of the Special Narcotics Courts in New York City.
 
Since 2004, she has served on the New York State Surrogate Decision Making Committee (SDMC) of the NYS Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. In that capacity, Mrs. Coen presides over cases in which the ability to provide Informed Consent for medical procedures  may be compromised by a client’s developmental disability ( and in the absence of any caring family members to assist.) The SDMC carefully balances the capacity of the client to understand the procedure, the risks and benefits of the procedure, and the existence of any possible family members who may wish to assist in the decision making process.
 
Katheleen has been appointed to the Legislative Committee of the NYS Bar Association, having had a background in advocating for the rights of the Disabled ( as a Legal Advisor to the American Diabetes Association, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation )  and for her private practice background litigating related issues. She also serves on the American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights and the ABA task Force on Health Care Reform.
 
She has served on the Boards of the Saint Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing,  the JDRF, and the United States Naval Academy Parents Club for NY (past President).