Amanda Cook

Amanda Cook has over 25 years of nonprofit experience. She has raised over $10 million in her
career for a variety of causes including arts programming, conservation, literacy, and homeless
services. She also has over 5 years of experience in arts and creative writing programming and
her Respect Program has been featured on Live at Nine on Channel 3 in Memphis, in the
Commercial Appeal and Memphis Parent Magazine.
She has a BA in English Literature from Millsaps College and loves teaching literary and creative
writing lessons. She also has an MS in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon
University, which helped set her on a path for fundraising and nonprofit management success.
She credits acting in plays as a child and young adult with her academic success. “Being in a play
taught me public speaking and teamwork. Acting was also a powerful creative outlet that
increased my confidence in myself. Confidence I was then able to use to study hard and
succeed in school.”
In her spare time, Amanda writes poetry, reads a variety of fiction and nonfiction books, knits,
and hikes with her husband Ben and their two rescue dogs, Lucky and Frida.