Gwen Cooper is the Executive Director of the United Opticians Association (UOA) and host of Mission: Optician, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience across nonprofit management, healthcare systems, advocacy, and communications. In her first year with UOA, she was named a 2026 Eyecare Business Game Changer, recognizing her rapid impact in elevating the national voice of opticians. Prior to joining UOA, Gwen led a boutique marketing and advocacy firm, partnering with both for profit and nonprofit organizations to blend business scaling strategies with mission driven community impact. Her broader career includes CEO and senior executive roles in patient care delivery, hospice and palliative care, behavioral health, and community advocacy, where she led award winning communications initiatives, major rebrands, and successfully advanced policy initiatives that expanded access to care nationwide. A recent career highlight was leading a national healthcare organization through a three year Federal Corporate Integrity Agreement while sustaining nearly $50 million in annual fundraising. Gwen began her professional journey in radio, spending a decade on air and behind the scenes producing major events and campaigns for top stations across the Southeast and Mid Atlantic. That early media foundation continues to shape her dynamic approach to storytelling, audience engagement, and mission centered communication. A long time advocate for patient access, Gwen is most proud of her service on the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Patient Engagement Advisory Panel, ensuring consumer voices remain central in federally funded research.