Dr. Iris Ann Cooper hails from Evansville, Indiana. From her career in business, she has developed an expertise in the management of a variety of projects for businesses, nonprofits, and government. Her principles are education, economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, and equality for all people. She enjoys writing, art, music, travel, and fitness to achieve work-life balance.

She is the owner of JustAskIris!, an entrepreneurial consulting firm. Iris is one of the founders of Glory Foods, Inc., a national food marketing company, and has also operated a mortgage business and retail gift shop. Her column and radio show Just Ask Iris provided business information to the Columbus market for many years, and she continues to speak nationally on business and economic development matters.

Iris is the former chair of the Economic Empowerment Committee for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. She was featured in the October 2008 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine and chosen as a 2008 Woman of Economic and Leadership Development. Additionally, she was honored in 2006 as a YWCA Woman of Achievement. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Academy of Management, and the Central Ohio Chapter of the Coalition of 100 Black Women.

Iris obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and an MBA in marketing from Indiana University. She went on to earn a Doctor of Business Administration degree at Walden University, majoring in entrepreneurship, and she teaches business courses at Franklin University. Her family includes her children Mica and Malik, and her precious grandson Malachi.