Ravi Cooper Named Business Leader of the Year

Ravi Cooper named Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year.

Ravi Cooper named Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year

Miller School of Albemarle is proud to share that Board of Trustees member Ravi Cooper has been recognized by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce as its Business Leader of the Year. The honor reflects her vision for community partnership and her steady leadership across our region.

As President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Charlottesville, Cooper guides a coalition that links nonprofits, local businesses, government, healthcare, and education partners in service of families across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. She oversees an $18 million portfolio and a dedicated team focused on early childhood education, financial stability, and building a more connected community—work that has strengthened opportunities for families throughout the region.

Her career spans two decades of advancing mission-driven organizations. She has helped raise resources for schools, housing organizations, and regional nonprofits, from leading an environmentally sustainable campus project at Charlottesville Waldorf School to expanding AHIP’s annual fundraising more than twenty-fold. She also played a key role in bringing the Piedmont Family YMCA’s 77,000-square-foot McIntire Park facility from concept to completion.

Beyond her professional work, Cooper contributes to the civic life of the region through extensive volunteer leadership. She serves as District Governor for Rotary District 7610 overseeing 50 clubs across Northern and Central Virginia, is past president of the Blue Ridge Mountains Rotary Club, and has served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Ixs Art Foundation and the Blue Ridge Home Builders Association. Within the Miller School community, she is a thoughtful and engaged trustee whose commitment strengthens our mission and daily life on the Hill. She is also the proud parent of two Miller "lifers" Alexander and Marcus Respeto.

Cooper holds a B.A. in Communications from George Mason University, along with executive certificates in Business Marketing and Advanced Management from UVA’s Darden School of Business.

Her recognition by the Chamber reflects what our community sees each day: a leader who brings people together, builds momentum around shared goals, and helps families thrive.

Miller School congratulates Ravi Cooper on this well-earned distinction.