She graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in 1975 and from Wayne State University Law School with a Juris Doctor in 1977.
Cooke served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1980 to 1983.
In 1992 Cooke served as Director of Professional Development and Training at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.
From 1992 to 1994 she was the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, before returning to her prior position as director of professional development and training from 1994 to 1999.
Cooke served as Chief Inspector General for the Executive Office of the Governor of Florida under Jeb Bush from 1999 to 2002.