Volunteer Spotlight: Jesse Cook (California Irvine 2009)
Jesse Cook (California Irvine 2009) (pictured second from left) has served the Iota Chi Chapter at California Irvine as Purple Legionnaire (PL) since February 6, 2025, and BCA Chairman since March 26, 2025. As PL, Jesse’s first goal was to relaunch the Chapter’s BCA in partnership with Section Leader Peter Whittet (Western Michigan 1977). Within a few weeks, eight graduate brothers volunteered to serve in various positions on the BCA. Jesse’s next goal was to help graduate brothers reconnect and engage with the undergraduate chapter outside of Pig Dinner.
Since this initiative began, graduates have led Built to Lead Menu Experiences programs and attended chapter meetings, Fiji Family nights, sporting events and more. Most notably, the Chapter launched a scholarship fund with the help of 45 graduates raising $75,000. Jesse’s current goals are to continue building graduate engagement with Iota Chi brothers as well as Orange County, CA area graduates and to raise a total of $100,000 for the Iota Chi Scholarship Fund by the end of 2026.
Jesse earned his bachelor’s in economics in 2009 from the University of California Irvine, where he joined Iota Chi. As an undergraduate, he served as Chapter President, Recruitment Chairman and Pledge Educator. After graduation, Jesse worked in data center sales from 2009-12 before being recruited to serve as a Small Business Account manager at LinkedIn by Pat Cronin (California Irvine 1984), who was LinkedIn’s VP of Sales Recruitment at the time. Jesse’s career at LinkedIn has since taken him to work in Ireland from 2016-24 and back to California, where he currently serves as a Global Client Director.
Outside of his career, Jesse is passionate about volunteerism and giving. After the 2025 fires in the Palisades and Altadena, he helped mobilize several fundraisers supporting local firefighters and their families. Jesse also collected and donated critical supplies supporting families who tragically lost their homes, and he signed up as a Blood Transportation Specialist with the Red Cross.
