Tanya Cooper

Tanya Cooper serves as a board member of Sunflower of Westchester. As a former foster youth who entered care at age three and aged out at 18, Tanya brings both lived experience and over 30 years of professional dedication to advocating for children and families in the foster care system.

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Tanya's personal journey became her life's purpose. She is the founder and former Executive Director of FosterKidsUnite, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization she built from the ground up to deliver scholarships, mentoring, and direct support to aged-out youth. She is also the author of Surviving Foster Care and Making It Work for You, a practical guide drawn from her own experience in the system. Tanya holds a B.A.S. from New York University and a CACAS-T certification in substance abuse counseling, and brings more than 18 years of direct clinical experience working with foster and at-risk youth.

A sought-after speaker, she has carried her message to foster youth conferences, family courts, and universities across the country. In 2018, Westchester County officially declared September 24th Tanya Cooper Day in recognition of her contributions to the community.

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Tanya believes that every child in foster care deserves stability, support, and the unshakeable belief that their future belongs to them.