Profile
Josephine S. Cooper recently retired as CEO of Josephine Cooper LLC, a Washington, DC-based public affairs consulting firm offering crisis management, public policy and communications services to companies, associations and individuals. Prior to founding the firm in 2011, Jo Cooper served for almost 7 years as group vice president for public policy and government/industry affairs for Toyota North America and previously as CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
Ms. Cooper also held leadership positions in other prominent national organizations including Hill & Knowlton Public Relations, Capitoline International, and industry trade associations including American Forest and Paper Association and the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association. She also worked on Capitol Hill for then-Majority Leader Howard H. Baker (R-TN) and then-Representative Dick Cheney (R-WY), and in key leadership posts at the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Ms. Cooper is currently on the Board of Directors of The Pinehurst Forum. She served for four years on the Board of Directors of the National Property Owners Association, in the position of President for 3 years, 2019-2022, representing the interests of the residents of Pinehurst National No. 9 Community. She is an Emeritus Member of the Board of Visitors at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She previously served on the Board of Advisors for the Salvation Army National Capital Area, as founder and Board of Directors Member of WashingtonFirst Bank, and on the Board of Directors of Washington Performing Arts and The Corcoran Gallery of Art.
In March, 2012, Ms. Cooper was the recipient of the Bryce Harlow Foundation annual Business-Government Relations Award for significant contributions to the advocacy profession through her life-long career as an exemplary role model. The Automotive Hall of Fame honored Ms. Cooper with its “Distinguished Service Citation Award” in 2008. Automotive News recognize Ms. Cooper as a Government Affairs “All Star” in 2007. She was named by the Washingtonian magazine as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in Washington” in 2001.
