Whole Health Institute, a nonprofit organization founded to make whole health available to all people in all communities, named Walt Cooper, PhD, as chief executive officer.
Cooper served as managing director for healthcare initiatives, overseeing strategic planning, budget, and operations at Whole Health Institute. Prior to this role, he served as head of Walmart health innovation and optimization.
Previously, he co-founded and served as president of San Diego-based Cortica Healthcare, treating children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. At Cortica, Cooper developed an operational infrastructure that enabled this novel clinical model to grow and expand.
He has also worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs following a highly decorated career in the military. Cooper holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Harvard, and a Master of Science from Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Cooper follows Tracy Gaudet in this leadership role. Gaudet recently resigned from her position with the Institute in order to pursue other interests. During her tenure, she built a strong foundation for the new organization, sharing her expertise and dedication to whole health principles.
“We are grateful for Tracy’s passion and foundational work. I’m honored to carry forth the vision of Whole Health Institute to improve well-being and quality of life, focusing on an approach to health that includes mind, body, and spirit,” said Cooper. “We’re at an exciting time in the organization’s history, with an extraordinary team assembled and an array of opportunities across the health care systems, workplaces, and within our communities.”