Getting to Know Aaron and Blanca Cohen P ’27, ’29

By Poly Advancement

It was 2003 when Aaron and Blanca first met, and in no time, they had their flip phones out, exchanging numbers. For their first date, Aaron used the Thomas Guide to find his way to the venue, while Blanca, a more sophisticated navigator, printed out directions from MapQuest. The rest, as they say, is history. Aaron and Blanca both work in the field of organ, eye, and tissue donation—Blanca as Vice President of Donation Strategies and Partnerships at OneLegacy, and Aaron as Vice President of Clinical Resources at Global Transplant Solutions, Inc. At this point, their kids Rhianna ’27 and Reuben ’29 are still on the parent payroll, as neither is old enough for full-time employment, but both are strong students!

Ahead of Giving Day on April 15, PolyNews chatted with the Cohens about what drew their family to Poly and how they stay involved with the school.

Poly has a strong reputation for academic excellence and a meaningful sense of community. When searching for schools, we prioritized finding a place that would prepare our children appropriately for higher education while staying grounded in community. In this, Poly has exceeded our expectations.

We like to say that our children came to Poly as rose buds but very quickly blossomed into flowers. It is difficult to state a particular experience that has shaped our children, as there have been so many. If we had to choose, we would say that OutdoorEd experiences, performing arts opportunities, and team-sport activities have contributed most to their blooming.

 

We chose Poly for a reason: the school is committed to holistic development and rigorous preparation for life after high school. The Poly we experience today would not be possible without the gifts that others have given in the past and the present. Our gifts directly benefit not only our own children, but also children of years to come.

 

We hope to volunteer as much as we can, as time permits. I am a current Parent Representative for the class of 2027 and the incoming Co-Chair for Friday Night Lights in the 2026–27 school year. Our children will be off living their lives sooner than we realize. Volunteering at Poly helps us maintain a proximity to them that we highly value as they march on to adulthood.