Baltimore, MD —  The Greater Baltimore Urban League (GBUL) announced the appointment of Jason Cooper as Strategic Advisor and Chief of Staff to Interim President & CEO Tershea Rice and the GBUL leadership team. Cooper brings more than 20 years of experience across nonprofit, government, and philanthropic sectors, with a career defined by a commitment to advancing economic mobility by expanding access to opportunity in underserved communities. 

In his role, Cooper will work closely with Interim President & CEO Tershea Rice to strengthen GBUL’s programmatic impact, deepen civic and funder partnerships, and support the organization as it enters a new chapter of growth and community investment. 

“We are proud to welcome Jason to the Greater Baltimore Urban League,” said Tershea Rice, Interim President & CEO. “His depth of experience and his long-standing commitment to Baltimore make him an invaluable asset as we advance our mission of advancing economic mobility for the communities we serve.” 

Cooper’s background spans workforce development, community safety, entrepreneurship, and civic investment. He has served as both a grantmaker and a practitioner — working alongside community-based organizations, municipal agencies, and national initiatives with a shared focus on equity and long-term impact. 

Long before choosing Baltimore as home, Cooper was invested in the city — spending more than a decade supporting place-based initiatives here as a practitioner, funder, and civic partner. That history of commitment is what ultimately brought him here as a resident, and he is excited to support GBUL as it enters a new chapter. 

“Advancing economic mobility has been the throughline of my career,” said Jason Cooper. “I am honored to bring that work home to Baltimore in support of Tershea and the Greater Baltimore Urban League as it enters this new chapter.” 

About the Greater Baltimore Urban League 

The Greater Baltimore Urban League (GBUL) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to enabling African Americans and other underserved communities to secure economic self‑reliance, parity, power, and civil rights. Since 1924, GBUL has advanced this mission through direct services, advocacy, referrals, community capacity building, information dissemination, and technical assistance. As a local affiliate of the National Urban League, GBUL works to improve social and economic conditions and expand opportunities in employment, education, housing, health, and civic engagement.