Jeff Cogen was born on an American military base in Germany and grew up in Miami, Florida,[8] with his parents and brother.

[9] Cogen practiced law for four years in San Francisco, California,[10] until relocating to Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Lisa in 1992.

[14] Soon afterward, the board chose Cogen as Multnomah County Chair, effective April 1, to complete the remainder of Wheeler's term.

[18] During his time on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Cogen has overseen the following efforts: According to the Multnomah County website, "The Health Department's analysis found that babies and young children are more vulnerable to the effects of Bisphenol A. Disruption of an infant's hormonal system can affect their development, putting them at risk for behavioral problems, breast and prostate cancer and a variety of other issues.

[23]According to the Multnomah County website, the ordinance restricts "the possession of a loaded firearm in a public place with certain exceptions, including licensed hunters engaged in lawful hunting, target shooters at an established target shooting area, people licensed to carry a concealed weapon, and law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duty."

[32]According to Dana Tims of The Oregonian, the executive rule "is intended to eliminate stigmas for transgender county employees and visitors using county-owned restrooms.

"[44]In 2013, Cogen admitted to an extramarital affair with a policy advisor in the Multnomah County Health Department following public allegations.

[48] In June 2016, Cogen was named executive director of Impact NW, a social service and anti-poverty organization headquartered in Portland.