Angie Cooper to Lead as President of Heartland Forward

Heartland Forward, a non-profit, policy think-and-do tank working to accelerate economic growth in the middle of the country, today announced Ross DeVol, who has led the organization since 2019, will transition to serve as chairman emeritus and distinguished fellow, and Angie Cooper, who has served as president and chief operating officer, will lead the organization. Under Cooper’s leadership, Heartland Forward will continue to focus on its core impact areas all driven by applied research, programs, policy and convenings:

• Elevating Regional Competitiveness in the middle of the country, which includes Connecting the Heartland to high-speed internet and harnessing the power of AI.
• Harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence + Technology to ensure the heartland is not only set to succeed but to lead the nation through the next technological revolution. 
• Building a strong Talent Pipeline through innovation, entrepreneurship, human capital, education and workforce development.
• Investing in Health and Wellness by supporting the Heartland Health Caucus and launching the Maternal & Child Health Center for Policy & Practice.
• Advancing the Pulse of the Heartland initiative, providing real-time economic data and insights to inform policy and drive action across the region.
• Convening leaders from across sectors and industries to discuss and collaborate on solving our biggest challenges
• Hosting the Heartland Summit, the organization’s flagship event which brings together leaders from across the region, nation and world to Meet in the Middle.