We recently connected with Katie Cook and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In April 2020 I decided to leave a national sales position with an incredible company for a much harder job with terrible pay and long hours. I know its sounds crazy. The world was in chaos, I had 3 small children at home, a husband working as a nurse on the covid wing of his hospital and the world was on fire (or at least out of toilet paper). The company I had worked for was incredibly understanding, but with no end of the lockdown in sight and without being able to have a spouse step in as he was doing the impossible at the hospital for long hours, I couldn’t balance being a full-time solo parent and manage my portfolio. That is when I decided to jump ship and focus on managing my household full-time. It was the best thing I have ever done and the greatest accompliment I have been a part of. At the time a friend asked me “what will you do for you?” and I remember telling her I would focus on my kiddos and on kids in the foster system that needed help. Its started with little things like meeting with parents, helping provide respite, organizing support groups, and then I heard about Foster Fit and I was hooked. I now work with and train foster youth every day. The rest is history.

Katie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Katie Cook and I currently serve at Vice President for Foster Fit, a non-profit that matches foster youth and those aging out of a system with crossfit gyms and scholarships. My background and education has been in professional sports, event marketing, partnership sales, coaching, national sales, and most recently as a mother, lululemon ambassador, and strength trainer.

I know I covered most of how I got involved earlier, but I believe all of my previous experiences have lead me to this postion and industry. Having become a mother through the fostercare system, the calling to show up for kiddos from hard places has been inbedded in my heart and work.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

There is not a doubt in my mind that each part of my professional background has better prepared me for what I do today. I have the most random resume. Its packed and most of the time it makes me look like I have lived so many different lives but every single position has given me a leg up in the following challenge. It has never been easy. I have made mistakes and have had terrible things happen to me in the work place, but all of it has better set me up for what I do now and how I approach it.

There is a verse in the bible I come back to when I am getting overwhelmed or frustrated with the foster system that I believe is failing our teens and young adults. Genesis 50:20 says that what was meant for evil, He turned into good. This is probably most relevant in my work today. I was a burned out foster mom that the system trying to chew up and spit out. I could have walked away after our adoption bitter and resentful. Instead I used that that fuel to help other foster parents and have now seen more adoptions, reunifications and more amazing foster youth NOT fall through the cracks.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I never set out to “work” with Foster Fit. I met the team when I competed in one of their CrossFit competitions. I placed 2nd in it and when they reached out to me about winning I got to hear more about their origin. It was then I knew I wanted to help more. That I needed to help more. We have a stellar team. Justin (an adoptee) leads the charge. Rebecca (CF coach and pastor’s wife) managed our competition and communicates so beautifully with others, Nicole pushes us to do better and keeps our scholarships going (Entrepreneur and coach), Trevor (dad and athelete) oversees our internal coms, and Jenene (former foster youth) who sees with eyes that we would otherwise miss. Its a dance and we all have a part. I, the former foster parent, and the person that actively works in the community, am a trainer for foster youth and now a lululemon ambassador have been able to host a multitide of events to raise awareness and bring more foster kids into the space. I am proud of the way our work has magnified these outstanding people and partners.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fosterfit.org
• Instagram: foster_fit
• Other: @katieerighn and @motherhoodandthefword

Image Credits

Dean Xu, MadieRose Photography, Mollie Youree