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Elaine Cogan, a prominent Portland planning consultant and community leader, died Dec. 18 at Providence Medical Center in Milwaukie at age 92.

Cogan died peacefully from age-related health issues, her family said.

She had a major role in public engagement and participation for planning projects in the Portland area for clients such as Clackamas County and聽served as the first female chairperson of the Portland Development Commission, now Prosper Portland, and was well-known among elected officials, architects and community leaders.

Cogan co-founded a consulting firm, Cogan and Associates, with her husband, Arnold, in 1975. The firm added partners and eventually became Cogan Owens Greene in 2014. The firm has since closed, with the partners and staff moving onto other positions.

鈥淚 think my parents were very proud of the people they mentored and the positions their staff went on to achieve,鈥� said Sue Van Brocklin, Elaine’s daughter.

Cogan was a sought-after consultant, lecturer, coach and trainer in communications, strategic planning and community engagement.

鈥淚nitially through her incredible assistance with the Clackamas County Complete Communities project, and ongoing through much of my career, Elaine became a friend and a mentor,鈥� Michael Jordan, city administrator for the city of Portland, stated in a news release from the family. 鈥淓laine was quite small in physical stature, but a giant in the world of public engagement. I learned so much from her.鈥�

A memorial service was held Dec. 22 at Congregation Neveh Shalom. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Portland, were among the speakers.

Wyden said Cogan was 鈥渓ike a second mom to me.鈥�

鈥淓laine leaves an indelible legacy of accomplishment that transformed both the Jewish community in Portland and our entire city into better places for everybody with her many civic contributions and skills as an author and journalist,鈥� Wyden said in a statement.

A graduate of Lincoln High School, Cogan began her communications career as the editor of the Lincoln High newspaper. After two years at Vanport College (now Portland State University), she transferred to Oregon State University to be closer to her future husband, Arnold Cogan.

Graduating from Oregon State in 1952, Elaine Cogan wrote a weekly column for The Oregonian for 15 years and was a regular columnist for the national Planning Commissioners Journal for 19 years. Cogan served as president of the League of Women Voters of Portland and was also the first woman chairperson of the board of Providence Medical Center and the first female president of Congregation Neveh Shalom.

鈥淪he was involved in every significant planning project in the region,鈥� said Ethan Seltzer, a former Metro Regional board member and Portland State University Institute of Metropolitan Studies director. 鈥淎 lot of young planners were able to come up under her mentorship. She was very generous in that regard.鈥�

Cogan is co-author of 鈥漎ou Can Talk to (Almost) Anyone about (Almost) Anything, a Speaking Guide for Business and Professional People.鈥� She also is the author of 鈥淪uccessful Public Meetings,鈥� in its second edition, and 鈥淣ow That You’re on Board: How to Survive and Thrive as a Planning Commissioner.鈥� She also wrote chapters on public meetings and public hearings for the widely used textbook 鈥淧lanning and Urban Design Standards.鈥�

Cogan hosted a popular Portland talk show on KGW radio for seven years. She provided political commentary on local TV for a number of years and was honored as a Daily Journal of Commerce Woman of Distinction, among other honors.

She founded Elaine’s Tea Company in the 1980s, and Harney & Sons Fine Teas continues to offer Elaine’s Blend.

She is survived by three children, Mark Cogan (P.J.), Sue Van Brocklin (Robert) and Leonard Cogan; their six grandchildren, Joshua and Annabelle Cogan; Elizabeth (Bryan Rahija), Kate and Meg Van Brocklin; and Rodrigo Cogan Ponce; and two great-grandchildren, Jovie and Remy Rahija.