Ex-officio Member, Intersectional Council Chair
Karl D. Cooper, Esq. is an attorney and disability advocate. As a person with his own disabilities, he has spent most of his professional career addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities. He has been with the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) since October 2013 working on a number of projects which conduct outreach in the disability community to engage them in public health initiatives. In June 2023, he was named AAHD’s Executive Director overseeing the organization as it works to ensure health equity for children and adults with disabilities through policy, research, education and dissemination. Prior to moving to DC in 2012, he practiced law for 14 years in the greater Philadelphia area where he was able to devote time to pro-bono advocacy for those affected by physical and developmental disabilities. In addition to his work with AAHD, Karl serves as the Immediate Past Chair for the Disability Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and serves as the Chair for the Steering Committee for APHA’s Intersectional Council. Karl received his law degree from Villanova University School of Law in 1997 and a BA in Communications/Political Science from Cedarville University in 1994