Martin M. Cooper has been observing and participating in the evolution of the San Fernando Valley for more than thirty years. He was a columnist for Valley Business Magazine in the 1980s; wrote a monthly column for the San Fernando Valley Business Journal column for more than six years (many of them published as North of Mulholland: Essays from the San Fernando Valley Business Journal); and has written columns and articles for a number of the area's community and business newspapers.Cooper has also taken a leading role in many of the Valley's philanthropic, civic, and community organizations, including chairing the Los Angeles Public Library's Valley Times Advisory Council. In recognition of his civic contributions, he was honored as the 2014 Fernando Award recipient, the highest recognition for volunteerism in the San Fernando Valley. He has taught at UCLA Extension for the past 35 years and was named the UCLA Extension Distinguished Instructor for 2010.