Consulate General of Canada in DenverCommunications, Cultural Affairs & Academic Relations Officer 1625 Broadway Suite 2600 Denver, CO 80202
303.626.0640
www.canadainternational.gc.ca/denver/index.aspx?view=d
Jennifer Cook has been the Communications, Academic and Cultural Affairs officer at the Consulate General in Denver since January 2005. Her position is part of the Political, Economic and Public Affairs program, which covers Canada’s relations with the four Rocky Mountain states of Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, and more recently, Kansas. Shortly after the office opened in the fall of 2004, and as the first hire for the position, Jennifer helped establish the consulate’s Public Affairs program including creating and implementing various outreach tools and activities. In her role, she is responsible for building strategic alliances with organizations that can help assist in the delivery of Government of Canada key messaging and support the Canadian position on issues of mutual interest; advising on media relations strategies and outreach including, securing earned media coverage on priority issues; supporting mission-wide communications efforts including writing and editing news releases, briefing materials, speeches and other outreach materials as needed; and raising awareness for the Canada—U.S. relationship and enhancing Canada’s visibility in the territory through strategic cultural partnerships and events, where the consulate can convey key messaging. She was recently assigned the Academic Relations portfolio where she builds bilateral relationships to highlight Government of Canada priority issues; promote Canadian universities and study opportunities.
Keenly interested in environmental issues, Cook is particularly interested in growing opportunities for advocacy initiatives focused on environmental issues and the arctic, including promoting Canada’s efforts to deal with conservation and climate-change, as well as the consulate’s initiatives to build bilateral academic partnerships and technology transfer in the area of clean technology development and environmental research. She recently began working on advocacy issues related to the Canada–U.S. security and defense relationship as well.
Cook has more than 15 years of experience as a communications professional with expertise in translating organizational missions into targeted messages designed to advance strategic public relations goals. She has had success in tailoring and disseminating key information to a variety of constituencies through multiple channels of communication as well as a solid background advocating the missions of nonprofit organizations focused on international and cultural issues.
She has lived, studied and worked abroad in France and Australia, and has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Turkey, Costa Rica, Fiji, the Caribbean and Mexico. Jennifer holds two BA degrees in English (cum laude) and French literature and an MA in journalism and mass communication from the University of Colorado in Boulder. She also studied in France at the University of Bordeaux and in Annecy. She has completed a Web Writing Certification program at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and recently completed an Ecology of Leadership program.
Cook’s feature articles have appeared in national publications. In addition, she has volunteered for a variety of nonprofit organizations such as Engineers Without Borders, Boulder County Safehouse, Sundance Film Festival, and Boulder Philharmonic.
Her hobbies and personal interests include the arts, yoga and outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking and scuba diving, and international travel. She lives in Denver, Colorado.