Colleen Cotter

Executive Director, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

Education: Juris doctor, Indiana University-Bloomington; bachelor’s degree, University of Notre Dame

What Success Looks Like to Me: I remember saying very early in my career that I just want to be able to go home at the end of the day and be able to say that I made the world a little better today, a little more just; I made someone’s life better, a community stronger. That’s still what success looks like to me.

Favorite Quote: “Peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” — Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

What Would Surprise Someone to Learn About Me: I have five siblings, and I’m the youngest. Some people assume I am the oldest, but being the youngest gave me lots of opportunity to watch and listen. I learned what advocacy worked with my parents and what didn’t — a very valuable vantage point.

Outside of Work You’ll Find Me: On a long walk with my husband and our dog. Lakeview Cemetery and the Cleveland Metroparks are our favorites.