Melinda Cooper, Program Manager

Melinda Cooper is a native of the Central Appalachias and a graduate of the University of Virginia. She is a certified Project Management Professional PMP® with a dynamic background in community and client engagement. Helping folks make an impact by supporting processes, programs, projects, and people is both her personal mission and professional expertise. 

In addition to her work in the DEI sector, Melinda serves as Co-Producer of the International Shakespeare in Prisons Conference, which is a product of the partnership between Shakespeare Behind Bars and Shakespeare at Notre Dame. She is also on the board of The Mind Body Project, a nonprofit organization offering science-backed mindfulness programs to institutions and individuals. A practitioner of mindfulness herself, Melinda has completed training through Mindful Schools and is passionate about using mindfulness to enhance communication and collaboration in the workplace.

Melinda is committed to the cultivation of equity for folks who have been over-exploited by society and its systems. She believes in systemic change regarding human resources, rights, and justice. She is interested in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology, Conflict Resolution, and People Operations Management.