Chief Councillor Jeff Cook grew up in the Bamfield, Kildonan and Sarita areas of Barkley Sound. He moved back to Anacla from 1977 to 1986. Anacla is on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
He is a product of the Port Alberni Indian Residential School, which he attended for 13 years. After graduating from high school in 1969, he worked in the forest industry on the west coast for 40 years. He retired four years ago, in 2010.
The Chief Councillor is the second-ranked Ḥaw̓ił (hereditary chief) of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. Traditional culture plays an important part of his family life, and the Chief Councillor tries to lead by example by living a positive and healthy lifestyle and by contributing to his community to the best of his ability.
The Chief Councillor has a long history of serving his community. During the years 1981 to 1997, he served on Council for a total of 12 years. In recent years, he has been a valued member of the committees assisting to draft the Huu-ay-aht legislation for self-government, and he served on the Constitution, Governance and Lands Committees.
In June 2011, Huu-ay-aht First Nations held their first elections as a self-governing First Nation, and Jeff Cook was elected to a four-year term as Chief Councillor. With Chief Councillor Cook leading the way, Huu-ay-aht First Nations is beginning a period of rapid and exciting change as the treaty is implemented and the new laws and legislation are put into practice.