I first moved to Southeastern PA 16 years ago for medical school. I studied at Jefferson Medical College and continued my training there with an Emergency Medicine residency. After completing my training I joined the US Navy and served as an Emergency Physician at their Academic Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, and at a combat trauma hospital in Afghanistan during Operation Freedom's Sentinel. During my service I received multiple awards, including the Navy Commendation Medal for meritorious service for my care of injured Marines and Soldiers. The military is a melting pot, with service coming in many different forms and from many different people. The most important lesson I learned is that diverse groups, dedicated to a unifying mission, can achieve amazing results. 

Since returning home, I’ve worked in emergency departments across Delco, including Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Taylor Hospital, Delaware County Memorial Hospital, and Springfield Hospital. My time in emergency medicine made the inequities in our system clear. To make healthcare more accessible in our county, I co-founded a free medical clinic at the Life Center homeless shelter in Upper Darby. This clinic provides care for our residents and connects them to long term primary care options as they transition to more stable housing. Working across our region has provided me a window into the obstacles that many of our neighbors face as they navigate violence, physical and mental illness, financial hardship, and an inability to access much-needed social services. 

I’ve experienced first hand the financial challenges besetting Crozer Health and our EMS systems, seeing our neighbors wait hours to be seen, rationing medicine, and zip-tying and supergluing critical medical equipment back together when our supplies ran low. I know  it doesn’t need to be this way, and that our medical professionals, family, friends and neighbors deserve better.

I first ran for public office in 2019, driven by a desire to further serve our community as an elected official. After knocking on 2,000 doors to support my own campaign as well as others running county-wide, I was elected to Nether Providence’s Board of Commissioners, flipping a key seat on our Board. Since then I’ve worked collaboratively to provide leadership, oversight, and strategic direction for the Township. I was sworn into my first term in 2020, just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. As the only medical doctor on the board, I was asked to help coordinate the Township's response. I met with our board leadership, police, fire, and administrative officials, and comprehensively reviewed local operations and critical service delivery. Due to these efforts, Nether Providence was able to maintain their critical services during the worst of the pandemic. 

During my second year as Commissioner, I led a comprehensive review of the Township’s road resurfacing program, the first time in living memory this had occurred. By negotiating progressive yearly funding increases and securing a fixed-rate, low-interest loan during a period of escalating inflation, I helped Nether Providence simultaneously improve its road quality and set the course for a long-term, well-maintained road system while also saving money for our taxpayers. Along with my work in the ER, my time as a Commissioner has allowed me to hone and demonstrate my ability to navigate complex systems for positive change. 

I’ve been an active member of the Nether Providence Democratic committee for  six years, where I’ve served as a member of its executive committee for four years and co-chair/chair during the 2022 and 2023 election cycles. During my time as chair we were a well-organized committee that fundraised effectively, recruited a full slates of local candidates, and supported them in running successful campaigns for open township and school board positions.

In addition to my local work, my advocacy includes co-founding the Committee to Protect Healthcare, where I serve as its Pennsylvania lead and one of its original board members. This national organization fights to protect abortion and reproductive rights, make prescription drugs more affordable, and enact state-based public health insurance options. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic my fellow Committee members and I were public advocates for safety and vaccine policies, appearing in print, radio, and TV across local, regional, and national media outlets. My advocacy on the national level is built on my experiences serving our community; I know how important it is for our families to have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare, and will work with elected officials and advocacy groups at all levels of government to make this a reality. 

My wife Nicole and I are the parents of two little boys: Teddy, who just entered Kindergarten and is excited to learn to read, and Nate, who is embracing toddlerhood and is excitedly learning about trucks, bugs, and dirt. Every moment in my life not dedicated to my work and advocacy is spent with them. 

From providing medical care to patients at their most vulnerable, to overseeing Nether Providence’s public response to the pandemic, to advocating for reproductive rights, my unique mix of experiences at the local, county, and national levels will make me a key asset on Delaware County Council. I look forward to serving the people of Delco and promoting a positive vision of County governance. Please reach out to me with any questions, ideas, or concerns. The best way to reach me is Max@FriendsofMaxCooper.com

Thank you,
Max