Lonnie EJ Cooper is the Deputy Director of Events and Manager of the Haft Theater at FIT. Prior to joining FIT, Mr. Cooper produced and managed tours for the USO in Kyrgystan, Qatar, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as well as an international tour of the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families. He has called NYC home since 1989, save for a brief hiatus where he served as the Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Greeley, CO. There he founded the Greeley Blues Fest, oversaw more than $2 million in public art projects, and managed construction of the Greeley History Museum. Mr. Cooper spent the years prior in New York as an actor, manager, and producer. He has managed the Theatre Row Studios and Theatres in Manhattan and served on the management teams of RIOULT Dance NY, CAP21, Blue Man Group, Paper Mill Playhouse, and Red Bull Theatre. Mr. Cooper holds a degree in Theatre from Michigan State University.