Baltimore, MD - The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) is pleased to announce that Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen will deliver remarks at the closing session of the ISTSS 41st Annual Meeting, to be held September 17–20, 2025, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. Cohen will provide a 15-minute talk immediately before the conference’s closing panel, offering an inspiring perspective on advancing trauma responsive care in urban communities.

“ISTSS is honored to welcome Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen to our closing session,” said Diane Elmore Borbon, PhD, MPH, Executive Director of ISTSS. “His leadership in advancing trauma-responsive policy and fostering community healing embodies the values our society strives to promote. We look forward to his insights on Baltimore’s initiatives and their impact on the well-being of its residents.”

As Baltimore’s City Council President, elected in 2024, Zeke Cohen has become a nationally recognized advocate for trauma-informed policy. Before his election to citywide office, Cohen represented Baltimore’s 1st District and built a reputation for transparency, community engagement, and responsive constituent services. He founded a nonprofit dedicated to youth civic leadership, reflecting his lifelong belief that democracy thrives
when every voice is heard.

Cohen’s commitment to healing communities is exemplified by his landmark Elijah Cummings Healing City Act, introduced in July 2019 and signed into law in February 2020. This legislation made Baltimore the first city in the United States to comprehensively legislate trauma-responsive care, addressing the deep impacts of racism, violence, and historical trauma.