Evan Cook

Evan Cook: known on stage as The LostBoy is a spoken-word artist, author, educator, Head Coach, and leadership advocate whose life embodies both struggle and triumph. At 14, Evan was incarcerated in the Oklahoma Youth Detention Center, an experience that could have defined the rest of his life. Instead, it became the starting point of a decade-long transformation.

He went on to become a standout three-sport athlete at Todd Beamer High School, earning All-League, All-Area, and All-State recognition, before earning a full scholarship to play defensive line at Eastern Washington University. There, he was part of two Big Sky Conference Championship teams and the 2010 FCS National Championship team; an experience that shaped the discipline, teamwork, and resilience he now teaches to others.

After completing the Basic Law Enforcement Academy and serving with Eastern Washington University Campus Police, Evan redirected his career toward mentorship, policy, and youth advocacy. He later earned a Master's in Public Policy, Governance & Leadership from the Evans School at the University of Washington, and has spent the past decade building programs that address the school-to-prison pipeline and support at-risk youth including roles as a Director of Neighborhood Safety, Community Safety Liaison, Regional Navigator, and Program Manager across multiple Washington State organizations.

Evan's coaching career has run in parallel with his advocacy work. Starting at his alma mater, Todd Beamer High School, he went on to coach at Mount Tahoma High School, Auburn Riverside High School, and Decatur High School — where his defensive line and linebacker units earned multiple All-League and All-State honors and he was named 3A NPSL Assistant Coach of the Year. He now serves as Head Coach at Decatur High School, continuing to build young men on and off the field. His coaching and mentorship earned him recognition as Seattle Seahawks Coach of the Week, and he has been featured as a hometown hero in the Federal Way Mirror.

In 2015, Evan founded Restoring Mindz as a pro bono mentoring program at Decatur High School. It has since grown into Restoring Mindz LLC, a full speaking and mentorship company built to be, in his words, "the spark that lights the fuse of productive learning in the minds of our youth." He also co-founded the Federal Way Black Collective, uniting community leaders to elevate Black voices and address systemic inequities. He is the author of How My Soul Speaks, a poetry collection written through some of his most difficult losses in youth work.

During Covid Evan was also the voice behind The Evan and Dru Morning Show, a community talk show discussing local issues and solutions.

As The Lostboy, Evan merges spoken word, storytelling, and lived experience to ignite conversations around purpose, unity, and healing. Whether performing on stage, training coaches and youth leaders, teaching community safety, or mentoring in schools, Evan delivers a message that challenges audiences to find their purpose and develop healthy and positive ways to share their gifts with the world.