Aicha Naomi Cooper

Aicha Cooper is a development professional, who has dedicated her life to supporting initiatives and organizations that aim to improve the lives of marginalized people around the world.

A Liberian-American,  she brings an interesting perspective to the development space by drawing from her experience of living through the Liberian civil war.  A frequent speaker and champion for the rights of women and children, Cooper believes in the power of the human connection through storytelling as a means of finding common ground to build a more peaceful world.   She shares her personal refugee story of resilience with many audiences to raise awareness of the global refugee crises while highlighting the impact of civil conflict on women and children. Cooper views challenges as opportunities to work in close partnership with others to find solutions to some of our world’s development challenges.

Cooper holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the University of Minnesota – Duluth and a master’s degree in Sustainable Development, International Policy, and Management from the School for International Training (SIT). She has helped  a wide range of organizations deliver impact-driven programs and yield measurable results. Cooper currently works at the World Bank, which is the largest international development institution, dedicated to ending extreme poverty and building shared prosperity.