Lambda Legal Mourns Death of Former Board Treasurer and Champion for LGBT Rights, Dan Cochran

(New York, December 4, 2019) – Daniel Cochran, former Lambda Legal Board of Directors Treasurer and longtime champion for LGBT rights, passed away on Sunday, and Lambda Legal released the following statement from Lambda Legal Board Member and Out Leadership Founder and CEO, Todd Sears:

"I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my longtime friend, mentor, and Lambda Legal board colleague, Daniel Cochran.

Dan was the first career mentor I had. I met Dan when I started at Merrill Lynch in 2001, and he was incredibly supportive of my efforts to open up Wall Street to the LGBTQ community. And Dan was the first financial services industry leader I consulted when I embarked on launching Out Leadership.

Dan and I also shared a passion for Lambda Legal. Dan and his husband, Greg Sutphin, never failed to be on the top of Lambda Legal’s major donor list in the 20 years I knew them. Dan brought me onto the Lambda Legal Board, nominating me to the board the year he rolled off, and it’s been my honor to serve on the board for the last six years. We even traded hosting duties for Lambda Legal in the Pines, the organization’s annual major donor event on Fire Island.

What I most admired about Dan was his and Greg’s devotion to each other. They met as undergraduates at Amherst College, and in the ensuing 50-plus years as one of the few openly out couples on Wall Street they lived their truth and, as a face of our community, created so much change.

Dan was so supportive, in big ways and small. He believed in Lambda Legal and our mission and was never shy to make big requests for support on our behalf. He was a kind man and helped in any way that he could. While his last years were marked by a battle against cancer, he remained one of a kind. I will always be grateful for having Dan in my life and will miss him immensely.

On behalf of Lambda Legal, I want to extend our deepest sympathy to Greg, and to their many friends and family for this tremendous loss."