OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY, & INCLUSION

Prior to arriving at SOU, Cooper served as Marist College’s Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Compliance and Title IX Coordinator in Poughkeepsie, NY. A California attorney and diversity officer, she joined the SOU community in November 2021. Cooper began her career in academe as an admissions counselor and multicultural program coordinator with responsibilities for developing recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in southern and northern California for her undergraduate alma mater, Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. After earning her JD from Willamette University College of Law and admission to the California Bar, she returned to Westmont. Over the course of her time at Westmont, Cooper served as the Associate Director for Multicultural Programs, Special Assistant to the President for Legal Affairs, Special Assistant to the Provost for Diversity Initiatives, and College Counsel. She continues to enjoy long-time connections with students she has mentored and colleagues with whom she has partnered over her near 20 year career in higher education.

In addition to providing educational programming for faculty, staff, and students on the intersection of diversity and inclusion and the law in the college and university setting, Cooper has created and administered diversity programming for community organizations, served as Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children in the Santa Barbara County foster care system, and as a tutor in the local area K-12 campuses where she has resided.