Robert Cook

Dr. Bob Cook is a veterinarian who has spent his career in wildlife health, conservation, medical research, academia and foundation philanthropy. In addition to his teaching responsibilities at Columbia University, he is also the Program Director for Environment and Science at the Zegar Family Foundation, and the Senior Science Advisor at the Mayday Fund. In the recent past he served as the Program Director for Conservation and Basic Medical Research at the Helmsley Charitable Trust. For a number of years before that, he served as the Chief Veterinarian and then as the General Director for the Wildlife Conservation Society. In this role he led a team responsible for the operations of 5 New York zoological parks including the Central Park, Queens and Prospect Parks Zoos, the New York Aquarium, and the Bronx Zoo. He has worked in rural international settings and on global policy issues focused on the health of people, domestic animals, and wildlife. His environmental grantmaking experience includes climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental justice, and conservation.  Bob received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). He served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at SIPA from 2004 to 2007 and then from 2013 to present. He also served as a Lecturer in the School of Professional Studies in 2012, and then again beginning in 2017 to present in the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program.

Education

• MPA, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs
• VMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
• BS, Michigan State University