Kohns served as communications director to U.S. Representative Mike Honda of California, member of the House Appropriations Committee and Democratic Party vice chair. While on the Hill, he also served as a communications consultant for a 2006 California congressional race, and to the Democratic National Committee during the 2004 presidential race. Earlier, Kohns was an aide to former Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo during his New York gubernatorial campaign in 2002. He also served as deputy director of public affairs at the Council on Foreign Relations. Kohns earned a degree in political science and international relations from Columbia University and a law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University.