Derek Cook

Director, Canadian Poverty Institute, Ambrose University

Derek Cook serves as the Director of the Canadian Poverty Institute at Ambrose University in Calgary. In this role, he recently served on the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Poverty, providing input to the development of the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy. Previously, Derek worked for The City of Calgary where he led the Mayor’s task force on poverty reduction. He has extensive experience in social research and policy development, particularly in the areas of poverty and inequality, from his work in municipal government and various non-profit organizations across Canada. Derek holds a B.A. in Political Science from McGill University, an M.Sc. in Rural Planning and Development and a Certificate in Knowledge Mobilization from the University of Guelph, and is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Alberta College of Social Workers.