HANNAH COOLEY

Hannah Cooley serves as the Executive Director of the Carlo and Nika White Foundation, where she leads the Foundation’s efforts to expand its community impact, strengthen strategic partnerships, and develop programs that create meaningful opportunities for individuals, families, and communities.

Hannah earned a Master of Science in Development Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina Honors College's Darla Moore School of Business, where she majored in Management and Marketing, minored in African American Studies, and concentrated in Entrepreneurship. Her academic research has explored the experiences and contributions of Black women at the University of South Carolina following desegregation, as well as the historical relationship between payments to slave ship owners and the origins of venture capital.

Prior to stepping into the Executive Director role, Hannah served as Program Lead for the Leaders in Training Program, a high school mentorship initiative designed to expose scholars to experiences that prepare them for success in college and beyond. In this role, she led the planning and execution of the program’s first local, interstate, and international service trips, expanding opportunities for students to experience new communities, cultures, colleges, and service initiatives firsthand. Her leadership of the program reflects her commitment to creating experiences that broaden young people's perspectives while developing the next generation of leaders.

Hannah brings experience spanning philanthropy, consulting, international development, research, organizational strategy, and community engagement. Her professional experience includes working with Nika White Consulting, Blaze Group LLC, the World Bank, Ernst & Young, and Central Carolina Community Foundation. At Nika White Consulting, she oversees operational processes, project timelines, and resources to support successful client engagements. As an Associate with Blaze Group LLC, Hannah co-authored the 2023 State of Black Women-Owned Businesses Report, contributing to the analysis of data from more than 100 Black women entrepreneurs to better understand the needs and experiences of Black women business owners.

Her commitment to philanthropy and community development has remained central throughout her career. At Central Carolina Community Foundation, Hannah managed a nonprofit capacity-building program focused on strengthening the organizational and financial stability of local nonprofits. She also built and maintained grant applications, conducted due diligence, and supported the Community Impact team's efforts to allocate 2,743 grants to organizations serving the community.

Hannah's leadership experience also includes serving as Student Body Vice President at the University of South Carolina, where she advocated for the needs of a university community of approximately 35,000 students and 5,000 faculty and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. She contributed to university-wide strategic and risk-mitigation planning, led initiatives addressing food security and financial needs, and hosted a 12-hour podcast-a-thon that raised more than $10,000 to support programs benefiting Black members of the university community.

Hannah's work and service have also taken her beyond the United States. As a Graduate Consultant with the World Bank in Paraguay, she conducted bilingual interviews and quantitative research examining the effects of climate change on poor and vulnerable communities. Her work culminated in policy recommendations presented to the World Bank's Latin American Poverty and Equity Global Practice for consideration in the official Paraguay Poverty Assessment. She has also taught and volunteered with students internationally in the Dominican Republic and Kenya, further strengthening her commitment to education, service, and global community development.

As Executive Director, Hannah brings together her experience in philanthropy, youth development, organizational leadership, international development, research, and community engagement to guide the Carlo and Nika White Foundation into its next chapter. Building on her previous leadership within the Foundation and the Leaders in Training Program, she is committed to expanding the Foundation's reach, strengthening its programs and partnerships, and creating sustainable opportunities that deliver measurable, lasting impact.