Cooper Tinsley poses with some students and school mascot Jerry the Jaguar at the International School of Columbus.
Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Columbus asked Cooper Tinsley to facilitate this project. Thanks to her groundwork, CAMEO is functioning independently. “I think the organizations I’m privileged to work with are much more interesting than I am,” she said. Although immersed in the community and her passions, Cooper Tinsley remains humble and gives credit to everyone involved with the organizations she has been a part of. “The community has a lot to be proud of. I try to be very understanding that I am a caretaker of something very special,” she said. As the director of the Human Rights Commission she helps protect the rights of citizens in Columbus and ensures that individuals are treated fairly. “What I like about law is the opportunity to help others. I love helping people who might not afford it otherwise. Civil rights is incredibly important in our society,” she said. When she isn’t writing grants or sitting in meetings, she spends time with her husband and their two children who aren’t old enough to attend the International School of Columbus just yet — but will soon. She volunteers at her children’s school, likes to read and still makes time to shuttle her children to and from school-related events. Chatting with Maggie Frazier and Brian Fischer. February 2010 • she magazine
page 29