Winn Cook

AI & Business Systems Specialist

Durango, Colorado · winnldcook@gmail.com · winncook.ai · github.com/WinnCook

Summary

Senior analyst and AI/business systems builder with experience across institutional reporting, financial software support, business applications, and user training. Uses business and financial data to build custom tools, reports, and analytics, then communicates findings clearly to executive stakeholders. Focuses on AI implementation, workflow design, documentation, training, and governance.

Selected impact

Leads the institutional research function.
Translates custom reporting and analysis into clear findings for executive and campus leaders.
Chairs the college's Data Governance Committee.
Provides practical AI training and implementation support.

Experience

Senior Analyst - Institutional Research & Analytics

Fort Lewis College · Durango, Colorado

2023-Present

Lead the institutional research function and serve as the primary reporting contact for executive and campus leaders.
Own institutional reporting and analysis across compliance submissions, enrollment, retention, finance, financial aid, HR, accreditation, and executive requests.
Rebuilt reporting during the Banner-to-Workday transition and built or rebuilt 50+ Workday custom reports.
Built a SQL, Python, and Excel enrollment forecasting model from 10 years of historical data that projected total enrollment within 2%.
Chair the Data Governance Committee and provide AI training, implementation support, documentation, and practical guidance to staff and faculty.

Independent AI & Data Systems Work

Durango, Colorado / Remote

2023-Present

Build private applications and analysis systems for financial, production, public-data, business-development, and grant-opportunity work.
Use Claude Code, Codex, Grok, ChatGPT, Python, SQL, APIs, and GitHub to move from business need to working application.
Include documentation, review steps, user training, and repeatable handoff in the implementation.

Financial Systems Support

Community Brands / MIP Fund Accounting

2021-2023

Supported nonprofit, foundation, and association finance teams with accounting, reporting, year-end, and audit-preparation workflows.
Investigated software and process problems, documented resolutions, and trained users.

Real Estate Finance & Property Operations

Colorado

2016-2023

Worked across lending, transaction documentation, project budgets, leases, and day-to-day property operations.

Operations Leadership

Steamworks Brewing Company · Durango, Colorado

2012-2022

Advanced through lead server, lead bartender, and manager roles; trained teams and managed customer, cash-control, and service issues under pressure.

Selected projects

Enrollment forecasting model built with SQL, Python, and Excel from 10 years of historical data; projected total enrollment within 2% for internal planning scenarios.
Real-estate finance business-development database, dashboard, and export software.
Grant-opportunity review and matching with source evidence kept available for human review.

Skills and tools

Skills: AI implementation, business and financial analysis, application and agent development, documentation, user training, repeatable workflows.

Tools: Claude Code, Codex, Grok, ChatGPT, Copilot, Python, SQL, DuckDB, APIs, Git/GitHub, Excel, Tableau, Power BI, Workday, Banner, Salesforce, MIP Fund Accounting.

Education

Fort Lewis College · Bachelor's Degree, Business Administration · 2016-2017 · Degree awarded 2018

University of Texas at Austin · Mathematics and economics coursework · 2007-2012

Community leadership

Member, La Plata County Long-Term Finance Committee · 2024-2025

Served on the citizen advisory committee focused on long-term financial planning and county fiscal sustainability.