Jenn Cook: connecting kids with social good.

• Author: Kulicke, Heidi
• Position: Around Utah: Spotlight

A lover of travel and the outdoors, Jenn Cook worked in advertising for years before she decided to leave the industry and put her mind toward the goal of empowering children to use their creativity for social good. As the executive director of Kidnected World, a creative tech startup and nonprofit, Cook is helping to create spaces to help children engage with the world at large.

Prior to joining Kidnected World, Cook spent five years with Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, where she managed its global IBM account. Before that, she was with Renegade, where she spearheaded interactive brand experiences and events for clients.

During this time in the advertising world, Cook also volunteered with various organizations. "[I] have been fortunate enough to travel around the globe where I gained a strong belief in the importance of protecting cultures and helping those in need--both of which are pillars at Kidnected World,

I and a big part of what drew me to their work. I saw Kidnected World as an opportunity for me to use my own creativity for good," she says.

At Ogilvy & Mather, Cook worked in every media platform and came to understand the way media and technology can connect people in a global community. At Kidnected World, she says, "Our mission is to connect kids globally through tools, spaces and experiences that deepen their connection to the world as they expand their awareness of each other."

One example of this is the Wonderment, a free online platform "where kids, schools and organizations can explore, create and start projects with kids around the world, getting support from a...