Employee Spotlight: John Cook, Ph.D

Where do you live? Or where did you grow up?

I grew up in rural Deep East Texas, about a three-hour drive from Houston and 30 miles from the Louisiana border. I currently live in Centreville, VA, in Fairfax County.

When did you start working at Dignari?

September 2021.

What do you do at Dignari?

I currently lead a small team of privacy and policy subject matter experts to support the TSA Identity Management program, which touches on biometrics-related projects in TSA PreCheck and REAL ID.

Where do you go to college?

I received my Bachelor’s in Communications and Master’s in Educational Psychology from Baylor University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Public Policy from Texas A&M University.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

One of my favorite pastimes is watching baseball. Since I was a younger lad, I've been an Astros fan—alright, enough with the “cheating” jokes! I also collected baseball cards and listened to the games on the radio with my grandfather (before the days of MLB.TV). I also enjoy bike riding and visiting historical sites with my wife (the historian) and three boys.

Hobbies? Pets? Fun Facts?

A fun fact about me is that my first career was in radio broadcasting, and I had the opportunity to emcee athletic events, beauty pageants, and DJ weddings and dances. I also worked for a state legislator, a Governor, and then a President, and emceed an awards ceremony hosted by a cabinet secretary.

Any parting words of wisdom?

I live by a few favorite mottos: (1) the Golden Rule: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” (2) “There is no limit to what a person can accomplish if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” (3) “With God all things are possible.”