Profile

Dr. Monika Cooper is a senior strategist and leadership consultant with deep experience advising U.S. and allied organizations on technology, organizational change, and leadership. She brings a unique blend of narrative theory, executive-level consulting, and cross-cultural strategy, grounded in her research and publications on leadership narratives and decision-making.

She has served as an advisor to RAND Corporation, NATO, the Department of Defense, DHS, and the U.S. Navy, shaping policy and transformation strategies in areas ranging from artificial intelligence governance to force readiness. Her doctoral work and published theory of Narrative-Driven Leadership (Bond Ambition) explore how stories shape trust, decision-making, and organizational change — insights she now applies to advising executives and leaders in government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors.

Selected Experience & Impact

• RAND Corporation – Led research on AI risk, export controls, and UAS governance; conducted change management analysis for U.S. European Command (EUCOM).
• NATO NC3A – Directed three organizational realignments, applying workforce analysis to restructure staff and align multinational capabilities.
• DCMA – Developed a new performance rating framework that modernized evaluations and tied workforce metrics to mission outcomes.
• U.S. Navy – Conducted force readiness and skills-gap assessments, producing recommendations adopted at senior leadership level.
• DHS – Partnered with officials on enterprise change management strategies to support transformation initiatives.

Thought Leadership

• Author of From Words to Wins (Journal of Leadership Studies, 2024).
• Founder of BondAmbition.com, advancing the Narrative-Driven Leadership framework (NAFRA).
• Research on Asteroid Economics and decision-making under existential risk — under review with Risk Analysis.

Areas of Expertise