Anita Cooke Wells
Senior Vice President, Administration/Corporate Secretary
At RLJ, Anita Cooke Wells has responsibility for human resources management, investment fund legal and governance compliance, and strategic planning. Before coming to RLJ, Ms. Wells served as Chief, Office of Business Development at the Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce. She administered the Department’s programs assisting minority entrepreneurs and developed and implemented programs to increase access to debt and equity capital for minority businesses. She worked with the Center for Emerging Domestic Markets at the Milken Institute, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and the Emerging Venture Network to promote solutions for financing minority firms.
Ms. Wells also served as in-house counsel at Marriott Corporation, Host Marriott Corporation and Host Marriott Services. In 1995, she was appointed Corporate Secretary and Assistant General Counsel at Host Marriott Services Corporation, where her responsibilities included Board of Directors relations, corporate governance and securities matters. She also worked for the law firm of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart. Ms. Wells received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts and her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Ms. Wells also served as in-house counsel at Marriott Corporation, Host Marriott Corporation and Host Marriott Services. In 1995, she was appointed Corporate Secretary and Assistant General Counsel at Host Marriott Services Corporation, where her responsibilities included Board of Directors relations, corporate governance and securities matters. She also worked for the law firm of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart. Ms. Wells received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts and her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.