Linda Cook

Cook grew up in Matlock as one of six children and graduated from Mary M. Knight High School in 2012. She worked odd jobs as a park aide and a stocker for Little Creek Casino Resort before she heard an advertisement on the radio about going to school to become a radiology technician. She moved to Las Vegas, where her sister lived, and attended Pima Medical Institute, though early on pivoted to train to become a medical assistant.

“I always believed I would have a blue-collar job and did not consider jobs in health care,” Cook recalled. “I thought I would be a road flagger or maybe work in housekeeping, like my mother. When someone at Pima encouraged me to look into medical assisting, I realized I can help people.”

Cook graduated in 2015 and right away came to work in Shelton — she started in December 2015 as a medical assistant at the former Olympic Physicians for six months, before transitioning to work for Mason Clinic-Hoodsport for five years. Later, she worked at the former Family Health Clinic until it transitioned into the Mason Clinic building in December 2020.

“I do like the small clinics because of how much responsibility you have, but at Mason Clinic, more of your team is around you to help you and support you,” she said. “I enjoy helping patients find solutions.”

Cook has been involved in campaigns like the Healthy Heart Initiative in Hoodsport to help patients lower their high cholesterol and high blood pressure. She also worked on a project to improve the referrals process and she currently works closely with her provider, Jennifer Kummerfeldt, ARNP, on managing schedules and resources for the Medicare Wellness program. She has spent the majority of her Mason Health career working in Primary Care but did have one month as a floating medical assistant in orthopedics.

When she is not working, Cook helps her family out, fixing tractors and other equipment, on their 80-acre farm in Matlock.