Meet Chris Cook, the force behind Capiche.
Chris Cook relishes a challenge—whether it be Telemark skiing on Mt. Ashland, transforming a stressful and chaotic workplace into a happy and productive environment or increasing recognition of the quality of Southern Oregon wines. Over the past 30 years, Chris’ vision and strategic leadership have inspired pivotal changes in both private and public sector organizations. Her creativity, contagious enthusiasm and cheerful diplomacy are grounded in a clearheaded logic and broad range of expertise—from organizational change and leadership to strategic management to marketing and communications.
Specializing in the science of happiness, Chris develops psychological capital to help individuals and businesses achieve their potential. She is also a leader in conducting marketing research, executing branding, devising strategy, providing inspiring leadership and implementing and measuring strategic marketing plans. Chris published an article in the Medford Chamber Business Review and presented her findings to the Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce on the topic “How Well Are Rogue Valley Businesses Developing Their Competitive Advantage?”
Her reputation as a forward thinker and motivational team leader has earned her positions as executive director of marketing and communications at Southern Oregon University, director of marketing communications at SUNY College at Brockport, vice president of Kenney & Associates and Western regional marketing manager for The Sear-Brown Group.
At SOU, Chris performed research that identified the university’s first brand, which she promoted through the web, publications, television ads, YouTube spots and outdoor advertising. This foundational work helped boost a previously declining enrollment by 11 percent.
Her work at SUNY College at Brockport landed the institution a coveted spot in the US News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges” guide, prompting the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle to note that SUNY Brockport had made “a notable move for a school that last year had been in the unranked third tier of Northern master’s universities.”
In the private sector, Chris provided consulting services to the architecture, engineering and construction industries, including an Engineering News Record Top 500 national engineering and architecture firm. Serving in leadership positions at these agencies, she conducted strategic marketing planning, project intelligence, client perception surveys and industry and competition analysis.
She recently enrolled in the viticulture and enology program at the Southern Oregon Wine Institute to learn the ins and outs of the wine business. These days, she is focusing her marketing-related work on promoting the wines of Southern Oregon.
Chris holds a bachelor of science in communication: journalism from the State University of New York College at Brockport and a master in management with an emphasis in sustainability from Southern Oregon University. She was the first person in Utah to be designated a Certified Professional Services Marketer from the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
Her passion for the community and entrepreneurship has led Chris to work with the Medford Small Business Development Center, Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc., the Oregon Manufacturers Extension Program and the Sustainable Valley Technology Group as a member of its Board of Mentors. Ongoing volunteer work includes chairing the Community Outreach Committee for the Mt. Ashland Association and serving on the Marketing Committee for the Southern Oregon Winery Association.
When she’s not helping organizations increase their performance or engaging with community members, Chris can likely be found cross country skiing, hiking a ten-miler, gardening or hanging out on her ranch with her goats, large guardian dogs, chickens and cats. Or you might just find her on top of a mountain, carving elegant tele turns toward her own sweet spot of happiness.
