Mark Cooper, formerly of Bossier City, served as a Deputy Fire Chief with the Los Angeles County Fire Department since 2003, working as the department's Emergency Coordinator and managing a one billion dollar budget, human resources for 4,200 personnel, and providing IT support for the department's emergency dispatch system. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is one of the largest in the nation and provides fire protection and lifeguard services to over three million residents, 165 fire stations, and 72 miles of coastline.

Cooper contacted Jindal’s transition office to inquire about a possible role in the new Administration after reading the Wall Street Journal’s “Bayou Bobby: A new governor offers hope for disaffected Louisiana expats,” which highlights the hope of those Louisianians who have moved away from the state to return under the new direction of a new governor.

At the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Cooper developed emergency plans and programs to coordinate the department’s role in the county’s Emergency Operations Center. He also helped lead a team deployed to New Orleans in response to Hurricane Katrina. From 2002 to 2003, Cooper served as the Division Chief of the Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors, managing the business operations, employees, contract operations and information technology of the department. Cooper served as the Bureau Chief of the Los Angeles County Police from 1998 to 2002, developing emergency management plans for the 2000 Democratic National Convention and the county’s Y2K emergency preparedness efforts.

Cooper previously served as the executive assistant to the Fire Chief at the Los Angeles County Fire Department from 1993 to 1998, developing fire safety recommendations for the county following the 1993 wildfires, coordinating the demobilization of the Urban Search and Rescue Team deployed to respond to the Oklahoma City bombing, and managing employee assistance programs following the Northridge Earthquake.

From 1991 to 1993, Cooper served as a Division Chief for the Los Angeles Coroner’s Department, managing disaster response efforts to the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest, developing emergency management training programs for Universal Studios, NBC Studios, the California Specialized Training Institute and the Beverly Hills Police and Fire Departments, and establishing programs which generated more than $2 million for the department’s drug and alcohol prevention programs.

In 2006, Cooper was named LSU’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. He has also won the 2000 Inaugural Annual Award of Excellence in Emergency Management from the Los Angeles County Emergency Management Council, the 1992 Challenge Award for Excellence in Local Government for Emergency Management from the California Association of Counties, and the 1992 Government Achievement Award for Emergency Management from the National Association of Counties. Cooper has a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance and a Master’s in Public Administration from LSU.