8 Things You Didn’t Know About Donald Cooke
May 6, 2016
At our Annual Luncheon on June 8, we'll honor Donald A. Cooke, Forefront's Board Chair and Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Don has made many contributions to both the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors in Chicago. Forefront's Director of Communications, Kathleen Murphy, interviewed Don and found out a few things we didn't know about him, including how he became friends with Yo-Yo Ma (and how he feels about sarcasm).
You're trained as an astrophysicist. How on earth did you end up in the philanthropic sector?Astrophysics to foundation work – that’s simple and very obvious:
a. I got into the museum world as planetarium director of the second oldest planetarium in the country housed in a major science museum in Philadelphia.
b. Then became chief fundraiser for the museum, then fundraiser, PR, and marketing.
c. Then went to Philadelphia Orchestra doing development, PR, and marketing in the 1990s.
d. Then moved to Chicago in 2000 to do fundraising, PR, and marketing at the Field Museum.
e. That’s how I met the McCormick Foundation and they offered me a job in 2005.
See? Very linear.
Speaking of your astrophysicist days… How would you explain black hole thermodynamics to an eight year old ?
I wouldn’t. These days, most eight year olds can explain it to me.
Challenge: Do you find any parallels in the world of astrophysics and the social impact sector?
Yes – people in both areas don’t make any money.
Seriously – science is about thinking up possibilities and then testing them to see if they work. Just like social impact efforts.
Did you know that your book has 4.5 stars on GoodReads? Someone named Brittany called it "the best astronomy book of all time." Can you give us a summary so we don't have to read it?
Stars form out of clouds of dust and gas.
Stars shine for a while – a long while.
Stars die by fading out or blowing up.
You're the Chair of Forefront's Board of Directors. What will you miss the most when your term is up?
Who said I was going to miss anything?? Oh, you mean endless meetings, fundraising calls, and keeping Eric happy?
What's the one thing you can't stop talking about right now?
Veterans, early childhood education, democracy, and helping those most in need in our communities. What else is there? Oh yeah: My grandchildren.
Are you really friends with Yo-Yo Ma? How did you meet?
Yo-Yo and I met in 1992 when I worked at the Philadelphia Orchestra. We hit it off.
There's a rumor going around that you paint. Is it true? Can you prove it?
I try, but I am not very good. You’ll have to wait for my next Christmas card to see.
Please join us at Forefront's Annual Luncheon on June 8 as we honor Donald Cooke! We'll also be joined by world-renowned musician — and Don's friend — Yo-Yo Ma, the Judson & Joyce Green Creative Consultant at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Don and Yo-Yo will discuss how they have experienced professional "reinventions" and kept their work fresh and relevant. Although our organization has hosted the Luncheon for 42 years, this is our first year hosting it as Forefront! The Luncheon is open to all, regardless of Membership in Forefront. The Luncheon sells out every year so be sure to reserve your seat today.