She served as Executive Vice President of MBT Associates, an architectural firm listed in the 1980s as one of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in America, for 30 years.
[5] In 1978, Koo returned to China for the first time and made contact with a former principal at her alma mater, then known as Shanghai Public High School No.
Koo committed that overseas investors would be found if the principal could convince the government to return the school to an all-girls facility.
The initial three projects were a Women's and Children's Training Center in Gansu, a greenhouse in Zhang Xian, and the "Spring Bud" scholarship program to provide funds for elementary school of girls in Shaanxi Province.
Working with local partners they built the school and provided input for new Chinese construction and seismic codes to ensure safety.
[12] In 1986, she joined the board of a San Francisco-based program called "Self Help for the Elderly" and assisted the organization with planning and financing strategies[13] to expand their services.
Primarily, the organization serves seniors of Asian heritage and provides language courses, meals, and services to help their clients maintain their independence and well-being.