TC Cooper is the Founder and CEO of UpwardAction Advisory LLC, an AI governance consulting firm advising senior leaders and organizations on enterprise risk, regulatory compliance, privacy, and responsible AI adoption. Through strategic advisory services, executive coaching, and customized training, TC supports professional service firms, corporate legal departments, and leadership teams navigating AI adoption and digital transformation in highly regulated environments. As an entrepreneur and advisor, she brings a practical, governance-first perspective grounded in real-world operational constraints and regulatory accountability.

TC brings more than 25 years of legal and regulatory experience spanning Wall Street, corporate in-house leadership, and senior federal service. She began her career at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, advising clients on corporate acquisitions and private equity transactions.

She later served as Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Movado Group, Inc., providing legal counsel on merchandise branding, advertising, marketing, and intellectual property matters for the company’s portfolio of luxury watch brands. Her work included negotiating commercial leases and international distribution agreements, advising on corporate and commercial transactions, and managing outside counsel. In her role as Acting General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary, TC supported board-level discussions and advised senior leadership on governance, risk, and strategic transactions.

TC dedicated more than 16 years to federal service in the financial services and housing sector, serving at the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) and its successor agency, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). She held progressive leadership roles culminating in her appointment as Managing Associate General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer, and Senior Agency Official for Privacy. Throughout her federal career, TC became known for her ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, provide independent and trusted counsel to senior leaders, and translate complex regulatory requirements into actionable business strategy.

Her work included modernizing complex regulatory programs to strengthen accountability and enterprise risk management; leading enterprise-wide BSA/AML compliance initiatives; directing fraud detection and financial crimes mitigation efforts; and analyzing use cases for AI and emerging technologies through a governance and risk lens. She chaired cross-functional committees on cybersecurity, data governance, and financial crimes compliance and was consistently relied upon for counsel on Director-level priorities involving transparency, risk, and public trust.

TC holds a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School and a Bachelor’s degree from Hampton University. She is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Georgia. Her professional certifications include AI Governance Professional (AIGP) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Her civic leadership includes membership in The Links, Incorporated; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; and The Junior League, where she serves as a sustaining member.