Michelle Cooper MBE

I became Vice Chair of the UKCF Board in October 2020. I am also Chief Executive of County Durham Community Foundation. Formerly an Investment Director at Northstar Ventures, I worked across a wide range of investment funds delivering social impact and capital return across the North East.

With almost 20 years’ experience in assessing business opportunities and raising finance, I previously worked in the technology transfer unit at the University of Manchester, before joining Codeworks in the North East as Corporate Finance Manager. This followed a number of commercial roles in the UK and Europe.

I hold a PhD from the Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh. Recently, I was awarded an MBE for leading the Foundation’s prompt response to the pandemic, which saw £1.3 million in grants awarded in 120 days across Durham, Tees Valley and Darlington.