Bio
I was committed to civic volunteerism at a very young age. My post-secondary education focused on conflict resolution and management (bachelor’s), secondary education (master’s), and public and international affairs (master’s). In my early career I taught public school, worked as the Director of a nonprofit serving unhoused children, and as a legal researcher and grant writer. After my second master’s degree, I was hired as a U.S. Political Affairs Adviser serving in the United Nations Security Council, where I gained direct experience in international negotiation, policy analysis of complex international challenges, and peacekeeping and governance best practices.
After the birth of my daughter, I taught Political Science and coached Model United Nations at Washburn University, then worked as a private educational and nonprofit consultant, while serving on numerous non-profit Boards of Directors. I bring my ability to research and understand complex issues, and my experience translating those challenges into manageable work, to the job as a City Councilor. I have overseen complex budgets, so as a City Councilor I spent considerable time asking hard questions about the budget process and the need for various capital projects. I will continue to bring a critical viewpoint to my ongoing work.
Finally, I am a parent. As a mom to a teenager, I am particularly concerned about the issues facing parents in our current workforce climate, from finding childcare to balancing the difficulties of our modern societal expectations to make sure a child receives the support they need. I bring this understanding of the unique issues families face to every decision I make as a City Councilor, and I will continue to examine policy choices through this lens.
Candidate Facebook Page
cookkc@gmail.com
603-502-6454
Why I’m Running
My sense of civic duty and commitment to public service from my early childhood has not waned. I enjoy solving complex policy problems, and I love working to represent the people of Portsmouth. As a City Councilor, I feel I have accomplished many goals in my first term, but there is still much to be done. I would like to continue my work to bring more affordable housing to Portsmouth, improve planning for Climate Change, and foster strength in the Arts and Cultural Community. Portsmouth is facing a housing crisis. This crisis exacerbates our workforce staffing challenges, specifically in retail, hospitality, non-profits, childcare, education, and public safety.
The upcoming Master Planning process provides an opportunity for the City to re-evaluate our zoning to take a housing-first approach to planning for the next 10-15 years. I believe I bring a progressive voice to these discussions, supporting changes in parking requirements, expanding alternative housing options like tiny houses and micro-units, and supporting expansion of gateway zones. I will work to alter policies and ordinances that stand in the way of building affordable housing, while being mindful of the historic character of our city. I also bring experience lobbying in Concord to the job as a City Councilor. I will continue to lobby for better housing laws, more funding for affordable housing, and regulations that allow us to limit rentals by absentee corporate owners. Ultimately, this is a discussion about accessibility, and who will have access to our wonderful community. I believe we must continue to be a warm, welcoming, and inclusive community, and we can only do that by confronting this ongoing crisis.
Additionally, the City of Portsmouth must address the impact of climate change on our infrastructure, and the lives of our residents. During my first term, I focused on supporting the Climate Action Planning process as a member of the Sustainability Committee, and bringing locally controlled, renewable power options to the City through Portsmouth Community Power as a member of the Energy Advisory Commi8ee. During my second term, I would like to address sea level rise adaptation measures and bringing climate-related infrastructure improvements forward in the Capital Improvement Plan process. Moreover, we should focus on transitioning the City to an electric vehicle fleet and green building improvements.
I also plan to continue my support for the arts through implementation of the new Cultural Plan, promotion of public art projects, and support for the newly established Arts and Cultural Commission and Public Art Review Committees. After working to bring changes to our Ethics process, committee structure, and Council rules, I would like the opportunity to continue my work as the Governance Chair to proceed with our review of city ordinances, policies, rules, and procedures to further improve the workflow and transparency of our local government. I will work to make sure the City of Portsmouth supports our entire community.