Colby Cooper
Encyclopedia
Colby J. Cooper is the Executive Director of the newly formed Coastal Alabama Leadership Council. Prior to his regional role, Cooper was the Co-Founder and Principal of The Cooper-Lyon Group, LLC, a strategic communications, public relations and operations consulting firm based in Fairhope, Alabama
. Prior to launching The Cooper-Lyon Group, Cooper served as Chief of Staff to former Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice
at the Hoover Institution
, Stanford University
.
and Department of State. As Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State (2007-2008), Cooper assisted in the planning and implementation of the Secretary's major events, as well her domestic and international travels, including coordinating meetings between Secretary Rice and various world leaders. Prior to his stint at the State Department, Cooper served on the National Security Council as Director for Communications and Media Relations (2003-2006) where he coordinated President George W. Bush
’s foreign media interviews, traveled internationally with the President, and planned the National Security Advisor
’s public appearances and media interviews. Earlier in his tenure at the White House
, Cooper served as an Associate Director for Communications (2002-2003), and as an Executive and Administrative Assistant to the National Security Advisor (2001-2002). Prior to joining the White House
staff, Cooper worked on the U.S. government’s Y2K preparedness and monitoring efforts.
On October 19, 2007, Cooper received Bucknell University's inaugural Award for Distinguished Citizenship.
On August 26, 2010, Cooper delivered the keynote address at the (Mobile, Alabama
) Chamber of Commerce's 2010 "Get Connected" Luncheon. He talked about the foundations of the American dream. In his remarks, Cooper made the following comment about education in America:
On March 14, 2010, Cooper penned a contrarian op-edfor the Press-Register
discussing his opposition to a 2010 House Foreign Affairs Committee non-binding resolution (H.Res 252) calling for the heinous acts committed by the Ottoman Empire
against the Armenian people, from 1915-1923, to be classified as the Armenian Genocide
. In the op-ed, Cooper reveals that he is actually a third generation Armenian-American and shares the plight his great grandparents endured during this time period. Despite his ancestry, he remains opposed to a resolution.
On May 12, 2009, Cooper had a Letter to the Editor published in the New York Times defending former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
over comments she made about the Bush Administration's policy on torture that were purportedly taken out of context.
from Bucknell University
, where he was a two-time varsity football letter winner. He served on Bucknell University's Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2007-2008.
He is married to Jaime Lyon Cooper who is the Co-Founder of their firm, The Cooper-Lyon Group, LLC. They have a son and daughter.
He is a native of Oxford, New York
.
Fairhope, Alabama
Fairhope is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, on a sloping plateau, along the cliffs and shoreline of Mobile Bay. The 2010 census lists the population of the city as 16,176....
. Prior to launching The Cooper-Lyon Group, Cooper served as Chief of Staff to former Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
at the Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Career
While in government, Cooper served as a long-time aide to Condoleezza Rice, working in various capacities during his time at the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and Department of State. As Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State (2007-2008), Cooper assisted in the planning and implementation of the Secretary's major events, as well her domestic and international travels, including coordinating meetings between Secretary Rice and various world leaders. Prior to his stint at the State Department, Cooper served on the National Security Council as Director for Communications and Media Relations (2003-2006) where he coordinated President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
’s foreign media interviews, traveled internationally with the President, and planned the National Security Advisor
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
’s public appearances and media interviews. Earlier in his tenure at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, Cooper served as an Associate Director for Communications (2002-2003), and as an Executive and Administrative Assistant to the National Security Advisor (2001-2002). Prior to joining the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
staff, Cooper worked on the U.S. government’s Y2K preparedness and monitoring efforts.
On October 19, 2007, Cooper received Bucknell University's inaugural Award for Distinguished Citizenship.
In the news
On January 23, 2011, the Press-Register published a special editorial from Cooper who writes about the scrutiny our politicians are under 24/7. He opines about the newly elected Alabama Governor, Dr. Robert J. Bentley's choice of words about religion during an event honoring Dr. Martin Luther King when he said, "“So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I’m telling you, you’re not my brother and you’re not my sister, and I want to be your brother.” Cooper writes:"Welcome to the big leagues, Governor. Your words, your actions, your body language will be watched, analyzed and commented on, 24 hours a day, for the next four years. This is the price our politicians pay, but it is also the price we the constituents pay. We elect humans, not automatons, into office. It takes time for them to reach the cadence of their new daily political and governing lives. And yet, the reality is that we hold our leaders to such a high standard that the public’s patience is usually lost on Day One of governing. I am not suggesting Gov. Bentley should become guarded and contrived. Indeed, I would argue that the fact that he is neither guarded nor contrived appealed to many Alabamians in his election campaign. However, he needs to be more calculated in what he says and he needs to understand the broader ramifications his words now hold — both good and bad, locally and nationally."
On August 26, 2010, Cooper delivered the keynote address at the (Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
) Chamber of Commerce's 2010 "Get Connected" Luncheon. He talked about the foundations of the American dream. In his remarks, Cooper made the following comment about education in America:
"We need to remind ourselves that education is not Republican or Democrat, it is not White, Black, Hispanic or Asian -- education should not be about the haves and have not -- primary and secondary education in America is, as far as I am concerned, an inalienable right. We cannot let political or bureaucratic complacency, at all levels, keep us from ensuring that every child is given the chance they deserve to take the necessary steps toward accomplishing their goals and dreams. They will be better for it and so will America."
On March 14, 2010, Cooper penned a contrarian op-edfor the Press-Register
Press-Register
The Press-Register is a daily newspaper serving the southwest Alabama counties of Mobile and Baldwin. The newspaper is a descendant of one founded in 1813, making the Press-Register Alabama's oldest newspaper...
discussing his opposition to a 2010 House Foreign Affairs Committee non-binding resolution (H.Res 252) calling for the heinous acts committed by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
against the Armenian people, from 1915-1923, to be classified as the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. In the op-ed, Cooper reveals that he is actually a third generation Armenian-American and shares the plight his great grandparents endured during this time period. Despite his ancestry, he remains opposed to a resolution.
"Today, more than ever, the United States must be focused on maintaining and strengthening its strategic partnerships and alliances, not impugning (even if unintentionally) the honor and integrity of our allies for acts committed by generations before them... We will never forget what happened, but we need to be rationale with our current thinking and actions. This Armenian-American is more concerned about the future of the world than trying to rewrite history."
On May 12, 2009, Cooper had a Letter to the Editor published in the New York Times defending former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
over comments she made about the Bush Administration's policy on torture that were purportedly taken out of context.
Personal life
Cooper received his B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Bucknell University
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
, where he was a two-time varsity football letter winner. He served on Bucknell University's Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2007-2008.
He is married to Jaime Lyon Cooper who is the Co-Founder of their firm, The Cooper-Lyon Group, LLC. They have a son and daughter.
He is a native of Oxford, New York
Oxford, New York
Oxford is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The town contains a village named Oxford. Oxford is an interior town in the south-central part of the county, southwest of the City of Norwich. At the 2000 census the town population was 3,992...
.
External links
- The Cooper-Lyon Group, LLC Company Website
- Time.com - Why Is Condi Rice Joining the Torture Debate? Includes comments from Cooper.
- Pac-10 | Condoleezza Rice is not interested in becoming commissioner Includes comments from Cooper.
- Bucknell University – Two receive inaugural Bucknell Citizenship Award Colby Cooper was one of two inaugural recipients of the Bucknell Award for Distinguished Citizenship.
- Biography from the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
- Bucknell University – Bucknell in the News – Bucknell Students Take Up Global Issues in Washington, D.C. May 7, 2004
- http://www.phigam.org/files/PhiGammaDeltaFall06.pdf
- Bartner, Amy. The State News, April 13, 2004. Rice to speak at commencement Includes comments from Cooper.