Representative Sharon Cooper

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Born in Houston, TX, Sharon is proud to have called Georgia home for over 36 years. She and Dr. Tom Cooper have just celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary and have lived in East Cobb all of their married life. She is currently serving her sixth term as the State Representative for the 41st District of Georgia. In 2002, she was elected Caucus Chair by her Republican Colleagues, and in 2004, as the Majority Caucus Chairman, she became the highest ranking woman in the Georgia House.

Currently Rep. Cooper chairs the Health and Human Services committee, one of the busiest committees the House. She also has been appointed chairman of the Special Committee on Certificate of Need as well as chair of the Special Committee on Grady Hospital.

Rep. Cooper is also a member of Rules, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Higher Education committees. In 2007, in response to her ever increasing committee responsibilities Rep. Cooper assumed the role of Caucus Chair Emeritus.

Rep. Cooper holds several degrees, including a BS in Child Development; a MA in Education and MSN in Nursing. Sharon has written two textbooks on Psychiatric Nursing and in 1994 she authored – a how- to book that encouraged the average citizen to become politically active.

A graduate of the first class of the Coverdale Leadership Institute, Rep. Cooper was able to pass a major revision of the state’s stalking law while still in her freshman term. In 2002 A.G. Ashcroft appointed her to the President’s 30-member National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women. In 2006 Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Oleans credited Rep. Cooper as being the major catalyst behind the creation of Cobb County Police Department’s Domestic Violence Unit. She has also served on the First Lady, Mary Perdue’s Advisory Committee on Foster Care.

Rep. Cooper continues to author and foster legislation that promotes improved health care for Georgians such as: The HIV Screening Bill for Pregnant Women, Georgia Smokefree Air Act, and the “Health Share" Volunteers in Medicine Act. Rep. Cooper has earned the reputation of being one of the hardest working legislators at the Capitol as well as being honest, straightforward and committed. Former governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller still calls her “the little legislator that tells it like it is.”