Jenna Cooper

AZCEND

Jenna Cooper is a community leader with a career built at the intersection of government, community health, and mission-driven organizations.

Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, she now serves as Chief Executive Officer at AZCEND, where she works to increase access to essential human services for all of Chandler and Gilbert, Arizona.

Jenna’s career spans nearly two decades in the nonprofit and public sectors. She has held leadership roles at local Girl Scout councils, the national office of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, and the Valley of the Sun YMCA, where she served as Vice President of Government and Community Relations and Director of the Arizona Alliance of YMCAs — leading advocacy efforts and community partnerships that expanded access to health and wellness programs statewide. Most recently Jenna served Arizonans as Chief of Staff at the Arizona Department of Health Services, where she worked at the highest level of state government to advance public health policy and operations.

Jenna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Arizona State University and an MBA from North Park University — a foundation that has shaped her approach to leading complex organizations with both mission and strategy in mind.