Rory Cooper is a Senior Managing Director with Teneo’s U.S. Strategy & Communications business, based in Washington, D.C.
Rory is a veteran political, policy and brand strategist with expertise earned from senior government, politics and communications roles. He serves as a senior counselor to Teneo clients advising across a wide range of government affairs as well as leading policy and reputation campaign efforts.
Prior to joining Teneo, Rory was a partner at Purple Strategies in Alexandria, VA where he spent a decade leading campaigns for some of the world’s best-known brands and organizations. Prior to that, Rory was Communications Director for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, where he advised leadership on the party’s agenda and legislative priorities. As a chief spokesman and adviser, Rory helped guide Republican leadership through some historically challenging times of divided government.
As part of the original staff in the Office for Homeland Security at the White House, Rory played a central role in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the development of a national homeland security strategy in the aftermath of 9/11. On September 11, Rory was serving as Deputy White House Liaison to HUD Secretary Mel Martinez. He quickly moved over to the White House to support the government’s response to the terror attacks.
Rory has also led communications and strategy for The Heritage Foundation, one of the most prominent think tanks in America. He served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy and as Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at NASA. Along the way, he’s worked on several presidential and congressional campaigns, including President Bush’s reelection efforts in 2004 and as a political staffer for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Rory is a graduate of Tulane University with a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science and was recently a Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics.