Meet Craig
Craig has spent much of his professional life working cross-culturally in Southeast Asia, first in community development on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, and then in educational leadership in the Philippines, Indonesia, and California, U.S.A. He met his wife, Jamie in Indonesia where she was teaching International Law at Universitas Pelita Harapan. Craig has three children, Candace, Cameron, and Derek who all were raised in the Philippines. Besides understanding cross-cultural leadership and education, Craig's research interests lie in understanding the Sociology of Gender and the Body in the context of Sport.
Craig Cook, Ph.D.
Woodstock School, Mussoorie, India
My Areas of Expertise:
Cross-Cultural Education
Leadership and Culture
Educational Organization Leadership
Trust building in Organizations
Sociology of Education
The Role of the Liberal Arts in Higher Education
Culture and Learning
My Credentials:
Ph.D. in Sociology, Ateneo de Manila University
M.Div. in Theology and Intercultural Studies, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
B.A. in Intercultural Studies, Biola University
Principal/Head of School, Woodstock School, Mussoorie, India
Former Dean, School of Education, Simpson University, Redding, California
Past Deputy Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Jakarta, Indonesia
Past Department Chair of Humanities and Social Sciences, Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minnesota
Past Board Vice-Chair of the Urban Cross-Cultural College Consortium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Past Superintendent of Faith Academy, Manila, Philippines
Over 20 years of work and leadership experience in education in Southeast Asia
A Personal Note from Craig:
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with you all in the realm of educational leadership, particularly in the Asian context, where I have spent over twenty years of my professional life. At the heart of who I am as an educator and person is the role of the "culture broker". My interests lie in understanding the role that culture plays within leadership and organizations, and bridging gaps that may arise due to cultural difference.
As a sociologist, I love to pursue alternative ways of viewing the world as a means to arrive at great explanatory power, with strategic ends in mind. My research interests have led me to further understand the role of culture in sport, gender, and the body, and is something that I'm passionate about.
As an organizational leader for much of my life, first as Superintendent of Faith Academy, a school of 700 k-12 students in Manila, Philippines, in my former role as Dean of the School of Education at Simpson University, and presently as Principal/Head of School at Woodstock School, Mussoorie, India, I have a keen interest in training teachers and administrators to be culturally savvy in their work as educators.