Daniel Cooper

Dan Cooper joined MPC in October 2018 as the Director of Research. He brings experience in data analysis and visualization, policy analysis, and collaborative, action research. He provides research strategy and support across MPC’s program areas.

Prior to MPC, Dan was the founding executive director of the Center for Equitable Cities at Adler University in Chicago after serving as the Associate Director of the Institute for Public Safety and Social Justice. During his time at Adler, he worked with organizations across Chicago on issues such as housing and community development, community organizing, violence prevention, justice system reform, and health equity. He is the co-author of the 2018 book The War on Neighborhoods: Policing, Prison, and Punishment in a Divided City—a narrative-driven exploration of the impact of urban blight and incarceration in Chicago, and a new vision for repairing urban neighborhoods.

He holds a doctorate in community research and action from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is also a class of 2017 Leadership Greater Chicago fellow. A native of Aurora, Illinois, He currently lives on Chicago’s Northwest Side in Albany Park, one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the United States.

Read Dan’s MPC Spotlight