Epilepsy Foundation Welcomes New Chief Financial Officer

Wanda Cook Brings Over 20 Years of Financial Experience to Support the Mission

Wanda Cook, Chief Financial Officer of the Epilepsy Foundation

BOWIE, Md., Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Epilepsy Foundation announced today the appointment of Wanda Cook as its new chief financial officer. In this role, Cook will provide senior leadership and strategic direction on the organization’s financial operations and responsibilities, ensuring its short- and long-term financial stability. His financial and accounting experience over the past 20 years will help support the Epilepsy Foundation’s mission to educate the public about epilepsy and first aid for seizures; leading advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels; supporting new research; and connecting people with treatment, support, and resources so that no one faces epilepsy alone.

“I am delighted to welcome Wanda to our leadership team,” said Bernice Martin Lee, chief executive officer of the Epilepsy Foundation. “As a seasoned finance executive with diverse experience, he has been instrumental in building and leading effective finance and investment teams. I hope his knowledge will improve our practice and strengthen our work in the epilepsy community. ”

Cook most recently served as the chief accounting officer at Lingo Communications, an equity-backed communications technology platform, where he successfully integrated the accounting operations of multiple subsidiaries. Prior to that, he spent 15 years at CNA Corporation, a nonprofit state-funded research and analysis organization in Virginia, playing a key role in leading its financial operations, developing financial strategies, and ensure compliance with government regulations, including Department of Defense requirements. Earlier in his career, Cook worked at AOL-Time Warner, Inc., where he was Vice President of Finance and a strategic partner in transforming the Broadband and Premium Services Division from a negative revenue to a profitable business. of $1 billion in revenue with an impressive 19% yield. .

“I am truly honored to join the Epilepsy Society as chief financial officer,” Cook said. “I am very passionate about this mission, and look forward to using my strategic vision, operational discipline, and financial expertise to drive sustainable growth, improve resource allocation, and improve transparency. Together, we will strengthen the organization to fulfill its mission and increase its impact on the communities we serve.”

Cook holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Old Dominion University and holds his CPA in Virginia. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA), and the Association of Professional Women.

About Epilepsy

According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common brain disease in the world that has no age, race, social status, country or region. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the main tendency of the brain to have a seizure which is an abnormal burst of electrical energy that disrupts brain activity.

About the Epilepsy Society

Through a network of partners across the United States, the Epilepsy Society leads the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy. The foundation connects people with treatment, support, and resources; leads advocacy efforts; supporting new research and professional training; and educating the public about first aid for epilepsy and seizures. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Society has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and advocate for important rights for people with epilepsy, while supporting epilepsy research. and support epilepsy researchers and practitioners in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Society has helped improve access to care for people with epilepsy, expanded its digital reach and online resources to homes across the country, and trained people to more than 600,000 to detect arrest and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services, and research into new treatments. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000; in Spanish at 866.748.8008 or laepilepsia.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube.

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