Joy Tellis Cooper
Board of Education
Ms. Joy Tellis Cooper, District 8
Four Year Term: September 21,2021 to December 31,20212022
Joy Tellis Cooper is a dedicated community leader, education advocate, and servant-leader proudly serving as the District 8 representative on the Clayton County Board of Education. With a strong commitment to equity, accountability, and student achievement, she works to ensure that every student in Clayton County Public Schools has access to high-quality educational opportunities.
Joy earned her Bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University and her MBA from Georgia Southern University. Her educational foundation, combined with more than 20 years of experience in accounting, has equipped her with the financial insight and leadership skills necessary to serve effectively in public education governance. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Finance Committee for the Board of Education, where she helps oversee fiscal responsibility, budget transparency, and strategic financial planning for the district.
Her passion for community engagement is longstanding. In 2011, she graduated from Grassroots Leadership and later served as Board Chair. In 2012, she became an alumna of Leadership Clayton through the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce. For a decade, through her nonprofit, the Tellis Cooper Foundation, Joy hosted The Annual Family Day in the Park, providing school supplies and equipment to students in her hometown. She also partnered with the Clark Atlanta University School of Business and its School of Business Alumni Network Affiliate (SBANA) to establish the Joy Tellis Cooper Book Scholarship, awarded twice annually to support deserving students.
As a board member, Joy has launched impactful initiatives that strengthen connections between schools and the community. Her “Chat & Chew with Teachers of the Year” initiative creates space to celebrate and learn directly from outstanding educators. “The Gift of Heart Health” promotes heart health wellness awareness among families and staff. Through “Reading is Lit,” she champions early childhood literacy and works to instill a love of reading in young scholars. She also established the District 8 Advisory Council, comprised of scholars, staff, and community members, to ensure diverse voices are heard to help in district decisions and priorities.
Joy remains deeply committed to volunteerism and outreach. Her service extends to the aging community, as well as partnerships that support literacy initiatives, food giveaways, and back-to-school events while meeting families’ academic and basic needs alike. She is a member of Gamma Phi Delta Business and Professional Sorority, the National Black MBA Association, SBANA, and the Clark Atlanta University National Alumni Association. Her leadership roles have included serving as President of the Clayton County Federation of Democratic Women (Founding Member), President of Adamson Middle School PTSA, School Council Committee Chair, former member of the Clayton County School Board Budget Advisory Committee, member of the Superintendent’s Advisory Board and SAC Committee, and former Treasurer of Women of CAU (Founding Member).
In recognition of her volunteerism and service, Joy received the Distinguished Young Alumna Award from the Ruston High School Alumni Association for her impact in the Ruston community.
Known for her integrity, accessibility, and unwavering dedication to service, Joy Tellis Cooper continues to lead with purpose—striving to be her best self while uplifting students, families, and the broader community she proudly serves.