ABC public member Thomas F. Coakley, a below the knee amputee for over 37 years, serves as the senior public member on the Board of Directors. A wounded Vietnam veteran, Coakley considers himself well treated compared to the public at large and has dedicated considerable time and energy to raising the standards of amputee patient care to those less fortunate.In his day job as Vice President for Administrative Operations at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, he oversees the administration of numerous university facilities and departments.
Coakley came to St. Lawrence in 1982 as a visiting lecturer in economics, for what he believed to be a year "to figure out where he was headed next." Prior to leaving the faculty side of the house, he served on the University Faculty Council.
Born and raised in Canton, Coakley earned his bachelor's degree at Brown University, served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, and returned to earn his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is married to Nellie Coakley, a former Army nurse, who also served in Vietnam. In addition to his ABC responsibilities, Coakley serves on several civic boards, currently serving as president of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and treasurer of the Canton Potsdam Hospital.Contact Tom Coakley at publicmember@abcop.org.