Jennifer Esperanza
Senior Director of Organizational Culture and Strategy | Coopera
As Senior Director of Organizational Culture and Strategy, Jennifer champions Coopera's mission to drive financial success for a variety of consumer segments. With two decades of experience as a cultural anthropologist specializing in the intersection of culture and economics, she leads staff trainings, facilitates strategic planning with organizational leaders, and helps credit unions innovate products and services for today’s market. She also consults on transformative changes, such as mergers and leadership transitions, ensuring organizations navigate these shifts effectively.
Before joining Coopera, Jennifer spent 17 years in academia—teaching courses in cultural anthropology, sociolinguistics, immigration and consumer culture. She previously held faculty positions at North Carolina State University and Southwestern University and served as a professor at Beloit College in southern Wisconsin. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and linguistics from the University of Southern California, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Jennifer is frequently invited to deliver public lectures and facilitate dialogues between various stakeholders for corporate and non-profit audiences.