Donna Cooper

Donna Cooper is a former Pennsylvania Secretary of Planning and Policy who served as a member of the cabinet under Governor Ed Rendell. She initially worked as the deputy mayor for Policy and Planning during Rendell's tenure as Mayor of Philadelphia. When Rendell became Governor, Cooper was appointed as the Director of the Governor's Policy Office, which later became the Governor's Office of Policy and Planning and gained a cabinet-level status. Cooper was recognized as one of the 50 most powerful individuals in Pennsylvania politics by PoliticsPA in 2003, and was lauded as one of the state's 'Most Politically Powerful Women.' She played a crucial role in shaping state policy and was regarded as one of the 'smartest staffers' by The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2004.