Cara Cook Email & Phone Number

Chicago, IL, US

Greater Seattle Area

• Created a strategic plan navigating challenges inherent in a startup environment
• Developed service agreements and ensured compliance with state regulations across the country to reduce risk and liability exposure
• Managed and improved end-to-end external partner experience, including onboarding, coaching, recognition and overall satisfaction with services offered by company
• Determined team KPIs by quarter, maintaining flexibility needed given the early stage of the company
• Cultivated alignment and relationships across business groups, resulting in increased productivity and ease of project hand-offs
• Enhanced external partner network through the development of a robust online knowledge base, educational webinars, individual interactions and monthly emails

Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Managed operations of the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) visitor program, including the development of annual budgets ($500K+), nomination process, communications with faculty hosts and visiting.
• Responsible for hosting visiting scholars inclusive of: coordinating travel, visa requirements, financial documentation and scheduling campus meetings and activities during visits
• Responsible for annual budget forecasting and tracking ($1.5M), quarterly updates for BFI event-related programming and visitor program
• Implemented press events focused on current topics, including panel discussions with Senators, authors, and prominent economists from around the world
• Managed team responsible for virtual and in-person faculty and student-driven events, including academic conferences, workshops, and student summer camps
• Partnered with stakeholders across UChicago economics community to understand their needs and craft a strategy to execute conferences and events to their desired outcomes

Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Worked closely with Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) executive leadership team on the strategic vision, marketing, and communication of events and academic programs
• Managed details and operations of the BFI Visitor Program, including the coordination of activities and logistics before, during, and after each scholar's visit
• Worked closely with visiting faculty member and their faculty host to plan, coordinate and execute workshops and other campus activities during the visit
• Oversaw the vision and execution of BFI events programming through direct implementation and management of the events team in the day-to-day coordination of logistics
• Developed annual budget forecasting and track expense throughout the year for BFI events and Visitor Program

Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Responsible for Becker Friedman Institute (BFI) events, academic conferences and workshops, ensuring that they align with Institute goals and mission
• Key point-of-contact for faculty in the planning and implementation of their conferences, seminars and workshops
• Managed budget forecasting and actual expenses for all events

Greater Seattle Area

• Managed all aspects of signature fundraising events for 501c3 from conception to completion, including: developing and managing event timelines; guest experience; contract and vendor management; revenue and expense.
• Developed fundraising strategies for, and successfully executed, events ranging in size from 200 - 1,000 attendees with fundraising totals in excess of $500,000
• Relationship and engagement management of committees, event attendees and donors
• Coordinated and led event committee meetings with community and business leaders

Greater Seattle Area

• Coordinated logistical details for four signature fundraising events, including: RSVP management, income processing, expense tracking and auction item management
• Responsible for recruiting, tracking and overseeing event volunteers

Greater Seattle Area

• Managed logistical details and materials for various nation-wide development trainings, including: participant communications, speaker coordination, registration management, budget management, catering, and conference.
• Improved and standardized timelines for multiple trainings making the coordination process more efficient and scalable
• Managed trainings in learning management system, including: developing and maintaining courses and sessions, participant registration, and report compilations

Greater Seattle Area

• Responsible for multiple and simultaneous fundraising events, including: budget management, site selection, contract negotiation, catering, RSVP management, speaker coordination and design and printing of collateral.
• Developed and executed the annual Employee Giving Campaign, which increased employee participation by 5% and donations by 20% from previous year