Lindsay Cook
Lindsay C. is an accomplished Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff–aligned operations professional based in Tampa, Florida, with more than a decade of experience supporting senior executives in complex, mission-driven environments. Since 2023, she has served as an Executive Assistant at Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to maximizing opportunity and minimizing injustice. In this role, she operates as a strategic extension of executive leadership, supporting up to 12 EVPs and VPs at a time while owning executive operations, board preparation, compliance reporting, high-level communications, and multi-day retreats. After initially joining as a contractor, Lindsay earned a full-time role by consistently demonstrating exceptional judgment, capacity, and impact. She recently completed her Nova Chief of Staff Certification, further strengthening her ability to operate at a strategic level alongside C-suite leaders.
Her career path has been anything but linear. Originally planning to pursue law, Lindsay interned on Capitol Hill with the United States House of Representatives during college. A life-altering car accident widely covered in national media profoundly shifted her perspective and redirected her professional trajectory. She began her post-graduate career at Johns Hopkins University as an Academic Program Coordinator in the Political Science Department, later transitioning into human resources at Lockheed Martin. From 2018 to 2023, she served as an HR Specialist leading the enterprise Tuition Assistance Program, supporting learning and development initiatives, and contributing to the Talent and Organizational Capability Center of Excellence. She was recognized with an Excellence Award from the Executive Vice President of Missiles and Fire Control for her contributions to the culture optimization team. Following a departmental reduction during a change in administration, Lindsay pivoted into executive support discovering a career that aligned naturally with her strengths in strategy, discretion, and operational leadership.
Across every chapter of her journey, Lindsay has demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence. Outside of her professional life, she was previously a nationally ranked equestrian, traveling across the country to compete from a young age. That experience instilled in her the discipline, grit, coachability, and composure under pressure that now define her leadership style. Whether navigating ambiguity, supporting high-stakes decision-making, or anticipating executive needs before they surface, Lindsay brings calm structure, strategic foresight, and an unwavering work ethic to the organizations she serves.
• Nova Chief of Staff Certification
• Loyola University Maryland - BA, Political Science and Government
• Cornell University - MCHM
• Graduated cum laude from Loyola University Maryland
• Excellence Award from Scott Green
• Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
• Phi Sigma Alpha
• ASAP American Society of Administrative Professionals
• Florida Bulldog Rescue
• Operation BBQ Relief
• Roadogs Rescue
• Soccer Without Borders
• The Salvation Army
What do you attribute your success to?
I would say, honestly, just my strong work ethic, determination and resilience that I've gained throughout my life and my life experiences, and the hardships I've gone through. A lot of that comes from my athletic experience showing horses at the national level for as long as I did. It teaches so many life lessons - it teaches you how to be strong, how to accept criticism, that life's not fair. You can do the best you can, and sometimes it's not enough, and that's not at fault to you. It's just the way the cookie kind of crumbles. It's very subjective, you have to be able to take criticism and learn and grow all the time. And it taught me hard work and dedication, which has obviously gone into the professional roles that I have held. I have a very strong work ethic, and that comes from all of the things that had to do with the horses. There's never a day off - 24/7, 365, you have to be there and take care of the animal, and train, and do all the things. So I've really taken those lessons and applied it professionally, which is why I've been able to be successful.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say it's a very niche area, and the biggest thing is to look for organizations that are like family offices and gain experience where you can in being an executive assistant, because a lot of these are very high net worth individuals that you're working with. So you kinda gotta step up there, unless you're lucky and you just fall into it. I actually, for me, I had to prove myself for a year as a contractor before they hired me full-time. I mean, I was working full-time as a contractor, but I had to prove myself for a year and what I was able to handle. I supported up to 12 EVPs and VPs at one time, and that's how I was able to set myself apart and prove that I was worth hiring, worth investing in.