M. Michael Cooke

M. Michael Cooke joined Council for a Strong America (CSA) in 2017 bringing more than 25 years of public sector and non-profit experience to the position. In her role as State Director with CSA, Michael opened the Colorado office which has been an advocacy voice for children and families since that time.

Prior to becoming the CSA State Director for Colorado, Michael was elected to two terms on the Board of County Commissioners in Douglas County followed by an appointment by former Governor Bill Owens to his Cabinet. In that role, she served as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies and the Colorado Department of Revenue. An advocate for advancing education opportunities for all PK-12 students in Colorado, Michael then served as Executive Vice President of a multi-district public charter school in Colorado.

In late 2021, Michael temporarily stepped away from CSA to join the Administration of Colorado Governor Jared Polis as Early Childhood Transition Director, leading the effort to open the new Department of Early Childhood and launch universal preschool in Colorado. After completing that work in mid-2023, Michael is back at CSA.

Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Denver She is a fourth-generation Colorado native and resides with her husband, Dennis, in Englewood.