Today we’d like to introduce you to Kris Cumnock
Hi Kris, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was a sports marketing agent for 25 years and decided to make a career change where I could impact lives. My wife, who has been in the non-profit space her entire career, read a job posting for Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer and I went to their website and thought, “this is a mission that speaks to me”. I applied that evening and included a cover letter detailing how my 25 years in the sports marketing space would translate into running a nonprofit. I went through a series of interviews and convinced the WOKC Executive Committee I was the best candidate for the position. I have been the WOKC CEO for 2.5 years.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like any position of leadership, the road is never completely smooth. When I started at WOKC, I didn’t even know what I didn’t know. I leaned on my wife Jill (CEO at the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas) for guidance in certain situations. Ultimately, I believe my lack of knowledge in the nonprofit space was a benefit because I was able to look at the organization through a different lens.
We’ve been impressed with Wipe Out Kids ‘Cancer, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer is DFW’s pediatric cancer charity since 1980! Our mission is to provide comfort and hope to kids with cancer through support programs that serve the entire family and fund innovative research that leads to new discoveries in the fight against pediatric cancer. We provide Buddy Bags to every DFW child admitted to the hospital for pediatric cancer treatment. The Buddy Bag is filled with over 40 items to ease the child’s and parent’s unexpected transition from home to hospital. For the parents, we provide all toiletries, a blanket, a pillow, a laundry bag, dining gift cards, and a Sudoku book and booklight. For the kids, we provide toiletries and age-appropriate entertainment items. The favorite entertainment items is the iPad and wireless Airpods (kids can now download schoolwork, FaceTime friends and family, and download entertainment to watch during cancer treatments. The family programs include events for the entire family (this helps foster friendships that turn into support systems of people traveling the same pediatric cancer journey), a global podcast designed for newly diagnosed kids, and a parents “date night” with other parents who have kids with cancer. WOKC also funds cutting-edge pediatric cancer research aimed at early detection, improved treatments, and less invasive treatments.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to change careers. A large portion of the week is spent at work – do something you love and you are passionate about. Once the passion is gone…pivot to something that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wokc.org
- Instagram: wokc
- Facebook: Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer
- Twitter: @wipeoutkdscancr
