news Environmental Leader
Ken Cook to Join
MCBC Board of Directors

MCBC is delighted to welcome Ken Cook to its Board of Directors. As the co-founder and president of Environmental Working Group, Ken is recognized as one of the environmental community’s most prominent and influential critics of industrial agriculture, U.S. food and farm policy and the nation’s approach to protecting families and children from toxic substances. EWG has a staff of 60 and offices in Washington, DC, San Francisco, Sacramento and Minneapolis.

Photo by Cal Cook

Ken was a principal architect of landmark provisions of the 1985 farm bill that shifted U.S. farm policy from a narrow focus on maximum crop production to conservation of land, water, wetlands and wildlife. In the 1990s, EWG’s research was a major factor in the passage of the landmark pesticide reform law, the Food Quality Protection Act.

Ken has served on the boards of several national and international organizations, including Food Policy Action (which he founded), Amazon Conservation Team and Organic Voices.

Author and food policy expert Michael Pollan named Ken one of the “the world’s seven most powerful foodies,” alongside First Lady Michelle Obama. Arianna Huffington said, “EWG is an environmental superhero with a full set of digital tools in its arsenal.”

“MCBC is thrilled to have Ken on our team,” said Board President Mark Comin. “His depth and range of experiences will be huge for us as we continue to grow as an organization.”

Ken rides for both fun and function, regularly commuting to the Larkspur Ferry and enjoying Marin’s expanding trails network on his mountain bike.

“I’ve long appreciated how MCBC links transportation, recreation and conservation,” said Ken. “I look forward to contributing to those efforts.”

Ken is married to Bay Area Open Space Council’s Executive Director Deb Callahan. They live with their ten-year-old-son Cal (an aspiring mountain bike racer!) in San Anselmo.