Chad joined the BKCM staff as the Executive Director in August of 2016 having served on the Conservatory’s Board of Trustees from July of 2014 – July 2016. 

Prior to joining the Conservatory, Chad was a Managing Director in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group at Deutsche Bank Securities where he worked for over 15 years covering public and private real estate companies, investment managers and private equity platforms. Earlier in his career, Chad worked for four years at the St. Louis Development Corporation, the economic development agency of the City of St. Louis, Missouri. There, he designed and implemented community and economic development programs targeted towards alleviating poverty in some of the most economically distressed neighborhoods in St. Louis and East St. Louis. During his time in St. Louis, Chad also co-founded a project-based grassroots non-profit organization called Metropolis Saint Louis, which sought to foster greater engagement of young people in city revitalization efforts.

Like many Staff and Board members of the Conservatory, Chad was drawn to the organization by a love of music. It is a thread that connects many joyful and formative experiences in his life, from nervously singing in school plays before his 5th grade classmates; to performing timeless jazz standards in college with the Yale Whiffenpoofs; to the joy he experiences today seeing how music makes his two sons – his younger, a clarinet student at the Conservatory – instantly happy. Chad is currently a voice student at the Conservatory having taken piano and guitar lessons over the years as well.

Chad was recognized in June 2025 as a Notable Leader in Philanthropy by Crain’s, for having provided ten years of visionary and strategic leadership at the Conservatory. Crain’s noted that: Cooper leveraged 20+ years of public and private sector experience to spearhead a dramatic turnaround, expansion and sustained investment in the Conservatory’s programs, people and operational infrastructure. Cooper has tripled the budget to $9.3 million, expanded outreach sites from 59 to 85, launched an affordable studio rental program – now reaching more than 3,000 emerging and professional musicians – all while consistently raising wages and adding 40 full and PT staff.

Chad earned his MBA from Stanford and his BA from Yale.