Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper will become vice president for public policy and executive director of the Lumina Foundation's Washington, D.C., office, effective Oct. 3.
Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper
“Michelle is a dynamic, proven leader committed to addressing the myriad of issues facing American higher education, including racial injustice and economic inequality,” said Jamie Merisotis, president and chief executive officer of Lumina. “I am eager for her to join us and to learn from her experiences.”
Cooper is currently deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
Cooper has held multiple leadership roles in the past, including as president and chief executive officer at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and with the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), The Council of Independent Colleges, and King’s College.
Cooper holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, a master’s from Cornell University, and a doctorate from the University of Maryland, College Park.
