Tai Cooper has been promoted to the senior leadership team at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, serving as vice president for policy and communications, ROI-NJ has learned.
Cooper, who joined the EDA in February, will oversee the communications team, led by Virginia Pellerin, in addition to the policy, planning, research and advocacy team. She will report to EDA CEO Tim Sullivan.
ROI-NJ also has learned that Erin Gold has resigned as chief of staff at the EDA. Details of Gold’s departure are unclear — Politico reported in May that she had been suspended but there was no official announcement.
The search for a new chief of staff is underway, the EDA said.
Cooper has a long history of work in government.
Prior to joining the EDA, she served as deputy chief policy adviser to Gov. Phil Murphy. Before that, she served as the communications director and chief policy adviser to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, chief of staff to the mayor of Orange and as a senior aide to U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.
Cooper was also named to the ROI-NJ Influencers People of Color list.
