Thomas Cooke

Thomas Cooke (he/him) is a community leader, open space activist, cyclist, skier, youth sports coach, writer, teacher, entrepreneur, volunteer planning commissioner, husband, and father. He settled in the Park City area, in 1993, and has been actively engaged in serving the community. 

Thomas has enjoyed a long career in brand development, marketing, and communications. Prior work experience includes managing digital and web content at The Canyons during the American Skiing Company days, followed by a jump to the agency world. In 2005, Thomas led the strategy and creative team for SLC-based agency Struck who along with the Utah Office of Tourism and State Tourism Board launched Utah’s Life Elevated brand and subsequent advertising campaigns to promote the state as a tourism destination. Seeing the growth and popularity of Utah as a destination and the positive contributions to the economy have been rewarding, but with that comes the challenges of mitigating the impacts felt most of all by the local residents in the communities affected. Hindsight is always 20/20, but Thomas is committed in his public service to mitigating the impacts while addressing inevitable growth.

Thomas currently works for Utah-based non-profit The Bicycle Collective, and combines his previous experience in creative technology with his passion for bicycles and the people who ride them. The Bicycle Collective is a group of nonprofit bike shops who refurbish donated bicycles and put them into the hands of those in need— focusing on children, newly resettled refugees and immigrants, individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, individuals recovering from substance abuse, and low-to-moderate income households. Bicycle Collective also plays an active role in advocating for multi-modal and active transportation. He helped the organization fundraise and build a state of the art New Hub building located at the intersection of 300 West and 900 S, a key piece of infrastructure to support Salt Lake City’s active transportation efforts.

In addition to his work with the Bicycle Collective, Thomas is currently the longest-serving current member of the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission, having been named Chair, Vice Chair, and planning commission liaison to the Our Summit community outreach research project. Thomas serves on the Board of Governance for the Winter Sports School, and volunteers time with Summit Land Conservancy serving on the Headwaters Campaign Cabinet. He and his wife Teresa have one daughter, Carina, a graduate of the Winter Sports School and a 4 year Park City High School soccer athlete. Carina is now a second year Architecture major at Bard College in New York, and plays D3 soccer.