BOWIE, Md., Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Epilepsy Foundation announced today the appointment of Wanda Cook as the new chief financial officer. In this role, Cook will provide executive-level leadership and strategic direction to the finance and accounting functions of the organization, assuring its overall short- and long-term financial stability. Her finance and accounting experience over the past 20 years will help support the Epilepsy Foundation’s mission to educate the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid; lead advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal level; fund innovative research; and connect people to treatment, support, and resources so that no one faces epilepsy alone.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Wanda to our leadership team,” said Bernice Martin Lee, chief executive officer, Epilepsy Foundation. “As a seasoned finance executive with diverse expertise, she has been instrumental in building and leading high-performing finance and accounting teams. I am confident her skills will significantly enhance our operations and strengthen our impact on the epilepsy community.”

Cook most recently served as chief accounting officer at Lingo Communications, a private equity-backed communications technology platform, where she successfully unified accounting operations across multiple subsidiaries. Prior to that, she spent 15 years at CNA Corporation, a federally funded nonprofit research and analysis organization in Virginia, playing a pivotal role in leading its financial operations, shaping fiscal strategies, and ensuring compliance with federal regulations, including Department of Defense requirements. Earlier in her career, Cook worked at AOL-Time Warner, Inc., where she was Vice President of Finance and a strategic partner in transforming the Broadband and Premium Services Division from negative earnings to a $1 billion revenue business with positive earnings of 19%.

"I am truly honored to join the Epilepsy Foundation as chief financial officer," Cook stated. "I am profoundly passionate about the mission, and I look forward to applying my strategic vision, operational discipline, and financial expertise to drive sustainable growth, optimize resource allocation, and enhance transparency. Together, we will empower the organization to fulfill its mission and maximize its impact on the communities we serve."

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

About Epilepsy

According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions. 

About the Epilepsy Foundation

With a network of partners throughout the United States, the Epilepsy Foundation is leading the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy. The Foundation connects people to treatment, support, and resources; leads advocacy efforts; funds innovative research and the training of specialists; and educates the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and to advocate for laws that matter to people with epilepsy, while also funding epilepsy research and supporting epilepsy investigators and specialists in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Foundation has helped to improve access to care for people with epilepsy, expanded its digital reach and online resources in homes across the country, and trained more than 600,000 people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services, and research for new therapies. 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.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef6e651f-1e08-4a11-93db-938f4aed8f01