About
Over twenty-five years of Strategic Leadership. A lifetime of strategy & execution.
Dr. Shelena Cook is a retired United States Army senior leader, strategic advisor, organizational leadership expert, educator, and speaker with more than 30 years of experience leading people, managing complex operations, and building sustainable organizational systems.
For the last 10 years she has managed $280M in critical military equipment yearly and 4 locations, while overseeing 25 programs on a daily basis to support the organization's mission.
A life-long learner and dedicated volunteer, Dr. Cook gives her time yearly across K–12 education, military-affiliated organizations, and community initiatives. Her most recent roles include Parent Liaison for Armijo High School with the Fairfield School District Superintendent, President & Vice President of the Armijo High School PTA, Armijo High School Grad Nite Fundraiser volunteer, Vice-President of the Camp Parks B.O.S.S. Committee (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers), and an ongoing volunteer with the Solano County Food Bank.
She helps executives, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders develop the strategic thinking, decision-making discipline, and execution structure required to create long-term success — moving teams beyond reactive management into intentional, sustainable leadership.
Service
From the Army Reserves to retired Active Army Sergeant First Class.
Dr. Cook began her military career in 1994 as an Army Reservist, later transitioning to Active Duty and the Active Guard Reserve, where she served in numerous leadership and operational roles of increasing responsibility.
Rising to the rank of Sergeant First Class, she led diverse teams, managed multimillion-dollar resources, and oversaw critical programs supporting organizational readiness and mission execution. She became recognized for her ability to translate strategic priorities into executable plans while strengthening leadership accountability and operational clarity.
Credentials
A record built on rigor.
31 Years
U.S. Army Service — SFC, Retired
29+ Years
Navigating Parenthood
Doctorate
Organizational Leadership
MBA
Master of Business Administration
MS
Project Management
PMP
Certified Project Management Professional
Dr. Cook also holds a Bachelor's degree and has completed extensive military and civilian leadership development programs — academic accomplishments that reinforce decades of real-world command experience.
Resilience
Leadership forged in lived experience.
As a single mother, Dr. Cook raised three daughters while simultaneously building her military career, completing advanced education, and serving in demanding leadership roles. That lived experience shaped her practical, disciplined, and systems-based approach to leadership — one grounded in responsibility, clarity, and long-term sustainability.
Today, she is also a proud grandmother, further strengthening her commitment to building leadership legacies that extend beyond individual success — into organizations, families, and communities.
The Practice
Shelena Cook Coaching & Consulting
As founder of Shelena Cook Coaching & Consulting, Dr. Cook works with organizations, executives, and entrepreneurs to strengthen leadership capability, improve strategic execution, and build scalable systems.
Her work is anchored in two proprietary frameworks that together shape how leaders think, decide, and sustain performance.
Framework 01
The Strategic Leader System
A practical model for thinking, planning, deciding, executing, and evaluating with clarity and discipline.
01
Think
02
Plan
03
Decide
04
Execute
05
Evaluate
Framework 02
Whole Wellness Leadership™ System
A 5-Pillar strategic leadership model that develops high-performing leaders by aligning mental clarity, emotional control, physical capacity, financial stability, and purpose-driven decision-making — producing stronger execution, reduced burnout, executive effectiveness, and measurable, sustainable organizational outcomes.
01
Mental
02
Emotional
03
Physical
04
Financial
05
Purpose
Mission
"To help leaders move beyond reactive decision-making and build intentional, sustainable leadership that strengthens organizations, families, and communities."
— Dr. Shelena Cook
Affiliations & Service
An imprint across service, scholarship & community.
Military Service
- United States Army
- United States Army Reserve
- Department of Defense
Education
- National University
- University of Wisconsin–Platteville
- Cardinal Stritch University
- Upper Iowa University
- Various Military Leadership Development Programs
Research
- Dissertation — African American Owned Small Business: A Phenomenological Study Examining Success Strategies to Survive Five Years and Beyond
Community
- Armijo High School — Parent Liaison / Volunteer
- Solano County Black Chambers of Commerce — Member
- Solano County Food Bank — Volunteer
Professional Associations
- International Association of Strategy Professionals (IASP) — Member
- Strategic Management Society (SMS) — Member
- National Black MBA Association — Member