Shantella Carr Cooper 89C 95B understands that world-changing service begins in Emory classrooms, inside the hearts and minds of students.

“Our outstanding faculty and staff have created global leaders who challenge the status quo and are creative problem solvers in the world,” she says. “Emory graduates bring great talent to corporate, nonprofit, and civic organizations.”

Leadership and service are threaded into Cooper’s life, including her career. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Journey Forward Strategies, LLC, a solutions-focused consulting firm specializing in leadership development and organization effectiveness for Fortune 500 corporations, small private companies, and the not-for-profit sector. She has served in leadership roles for Lockheed Martin, Atlanta Committee for Progress, and WestRock.

At Emory, Cooper held several leadership roles before joining the Board of Trustees and the Campaign Leadership Council for 2O36. “I wanted to be a part of the team focused on shaping the future of an entity that I love!”

Student flourishing, a core investment area of 2O36, is one of her passions. By reimagining and connecting Emory’s curriculum, extracurricular activities, and residential and campus life, student flourishing creates an experience that embraces the whole student. What’s more, this initiative prepares Emory graduates to address racial and social justice, which is another key focus of 2O36, Cooper says.

“The added investment of preparing our students to participate in the world will create future leaders who are adept at inquiry instead of judgment,” she explains, “and who recognize our human connectedness.”

Anyone can contribute to the 2O36 campaign, Cooper says, whether they’re reaching out to fellow alumni to encourage them to give back, inviting others to tell stories of how Emory improved their lives, or sharing information about 2O36 with family and friends. She believes the ambitious goals of the campaign—including real-world outcomes—were achievable because of Emory’s past performance.

“We have demonstrated our ability to save lives and improve quality of life through our culture of innovation and research. We’ve been on the world’s stage and have humbly performed with excellence,” she says. “2O36 has expanded our reach, furthered our thought leadership and innovation in the areas where we excel, and positioned us for the future.”