To backtrack a few years, Cohen’s professional journey began at Touro University. She chose the school because it offered a strong education and supported her values as an observant Jewish woman. There, she focused on computer programming, enjoying the analytical and creative aspects of the field. She also thought it would be a sensible career choice, offering flexibility if she needed it.

“Touro gave me a solid foundation in technology, the concepts of computer science and hands-on programming in languages that were used at the time,” she said. “Touro also exposed me to finance and business basics, so I was well prepared for my first job, and I have been able to learn on the job since then,” Cohen said. When asked how the field has changed over the course of her career, Cohen asks rhetorically, “what hasn’t changed?” and then answers, “when I started in tech, it was mostly a substitute for manually producing a report. There have been so many disruptors—the internet, the cloud, artificial intelligence, multiple massive transformations. I am always learning and it never gets boring.” With the advent of generative AI, Cohen says she uses it to improve efficiency, drive innovation and accelerate productivity through the use of a coding assistant for developers and software engineers. “We use AI to guide code writing and to generate test cases. We are also using AI to aid in building workflows.”

From Testing Software to Identifying Opportunities for a Unit that Manages $3 Trillion

Cohen began as a programmer at Goldman Sachs and now heads a large team of programmers globally across the U.S., EMEA, Asia and India. Her division--Asset & Wealth Management--manages more than three trillion dollars. “I started out writing and testing software 30 years ago, and have since made several moves to support different business areas. In the process, my roles have become less hands-on; instead, I began leading and overseeing other developers. Now I focus on identifying emerging opportunities and setting priorities for developers. We build platform solutions to ensure that the people in the Business and Operations can achieve their goals in terms of revenue growth, risk management, client service and regulatory compliance,” she explains.

When it comes to emerging opportunities, Cohen shared an example of an exciting initiative she is currently managing. About three years ago, Goldman Sachs acquired a company in the Netherlands to expand their business overseas. This company came over to Goldman with their own people and systems. Cohen has been working on a major integration project to get the combined business running on common systems.  “This is not just a tech project,” explains Cohen, “but a synthesis and fusion of cultures –people working in different countries are learning what we do and how to integrate.”

Committed to excellence on all fronts, Cohen has honed her skills at home as well as at work. “I have many children, so I learned to be very organized and to delegate at home. I decide what activities I consider to be high value, and I make sure to do those myself. So, for example, I would prioritize being the one to take my kids to the bus and be home to put them to bed but hire help to do the laundry. It’s also important to me that I create structure for my family, so they know what the routine is and when I’ll be with them on a consistent basis. Even now that my children are older, I carve out uninterrupted time to talk with them and advise on important decisions in their lives, and do some of this during my drive to and from work. Prioritizing my time and creating structure are obviously also useful skills at work.” As a religious woman, Cohen strategically built support to manage her schedule by ensuring backup coverage when she could not be available, and volunteering for assignments on secular holidays when her colleagues need to take off. Goldman Sachs is also a company that understands that different types of thought leaders develop better products.

For computer science students at Touro today, Cohen offers this advice, “You can’t expect to operate with the same programming languages and technical skills throughout your career; focus on the concepts because they will always be relevant. Also, try to make sure you thoroughly understand the business or real-world problems that are being solved with the software you are creating; you will create a far better product that way. Soft skills are a critical part of any job—from being a team player to communicating well and being conscious of making a good impression on others. The moment you meet someone, they form an impression of you. Use every chance you get to make a positive and lasting one. It’s also important to form relationships at every step with the people you work with, those you work for and those who work for you. Build trust. You never know how your paths might cross again in the future.”

Outside of work, Cohen manages to find time for exercise, swimming, and for philanthropic activities. She enjoys volunteering and shares that Goldman Sachs encourages this pursuit. “Goldman Sachs is proud of how many partners are on non-profit boards and they make company funds available to support our charitable interests.”

Volunteer, mom, corporate partner and business leader extraordinaire, Bracha Cohen is leading a life of purpose and passion in all areas.