Claude Moore foundation hires new exec director

The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation announced Monday that its board of trustees has appointed  John H. Cook IV as its next executive director.

His appointment follows the June retirement of longtime Claude Moore Executive Director J. Hamilton Lambert, who led the foundation for more than 34 years.

In his new role, Cook will oversee the foundation’s investments in nonprofit organizations that advance workforce development, health care education and human services in Loudoun County and across the state.

Based in Fairfax, the foundation provides assistance exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Since its founding in 1987 by the late Dr. Claude Moore, it has awarded more than $115 million in grants, including more than $20 million to Claude Moore Scholars, a health care education program that has reached more than 35,000 Virginia students. The foundation says in the 2025 round of scholars grants, funding went to 18 grantees for application in 56 school systems across Virginia.

Cook’s priorities include supporting Claude Moore Opportunities — a statewide organization that aims to strengthen Virginia’s health care workforce pipeline, and maximizing the potential of Moorefield, the foundation’s primary endowment asset in Loudoun County.

At attorney, Cook most recently served as the foundation’s full-time chief council, a role he held since 2021, according to his LinkedIn. He was in private practice from 1990 to 2010, acting as lead counsel on more than 100 jury trials. He later worked at Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, a Texas-based personal injury law firm, from 2011 to 2019. Cook has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and received his law degree from George Mason University’s School of Law.

“I am honored to continue J’s stewardship of Dr. Moore’s legacy,” Cook said in a statement. “The foundation’s impact across Virginia has been profound, and I look forward to building on its work to expand opportunity and transform lives across the commonwealth.”