Within six weeks of her appointment as Chattanooga State’s new director of marketing and communications, Jennifer Cooper was thrust into a crisis management challenge as COVID-19 became a pandemic and extended its far-reaching grip into Chattanooga.

“After an 18-year career in the consumer-packaged goods industry, I was excited to begin a new journey at Chattanooga State. My first four months have been interesting. The pandemic definitely threw a curveball our way,” said Ms. Cooper.

College personnel were preparing to return from spring break when concerns over the pandemic became more pronounced. Spring break was extended one extra week for students while faculty made preparations for an unprecedented move to an all-online learning environment and transitioning with other employees to begin working remotely from home by the end of March.

“I am so fortunate to be joining a strong team of marketing and communications professionals and a phenomenal community here at Chattanooga State. I am proud to be a member of the ChattState family,” shared Ms. Cooper.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Ms. Cooper holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in organizational management. With more than 20 years experience in the corporate marketing sector, Jennifer brings with her a solid background in communications, integrated strategic and tactical planning, and a demonstrated talent in brand building, innovation and customer engagement.

“Jennifer has quickly become a valued member of our college family,” stated Nancy Patterson, vice president of College Advancement and Public Relations. She brings a contagious energy, hands-on experience and proven leadership skills to our talented Marketing and Communications team.”

Ms. Cooper can be reached at (423) 697-2437 or jennifer.cooper@chattanoogastate.edu.