Helen Cooper

Helen Cooper serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Queen's School of Policy Studies, Queen's University, leveraging decades of public service experience including roles as Kingston's first woman mayor (1988-1993), Chair of the Ontario Municipal Board, and advisor to the Premier’s Council on Health Strategy and Ontario Round Table on Environment and Economy.

Her academic foundation includes a B.Sc. in Chemistry and Mathematics from Queen's University and an M.Sc. in Econometrics from the London School of Economics, complemented by international development work teaching in Tanzania.

Her research focuses on interdisciplinary policy challenges:

• Public Policy
• Municipal Governance
• Environmental Policy
• Health Policy
• Senior Care Policy

Post-retirement from the Ministry of Community and Social Services in 2014, she remains active through volunteer leadership as President of Oasis Senior Supportive Living and ongoing contributions to policy education at Queen's.