2014 Honoree

Hope Cochran

Chief Financial Officer, King Digital Entertainment

“We need to use more positive language more often when talking about women.”

Who inspires you the most?

My parents–my amazing father who balanced the importance of his family with a great career. He is filled with integrity, grit, determination, and a focus on the people around him in all situations.

And, a remarkable mother that focuses on family and people first, hardworking to an exhausting level, and always brings a positive spirit to everything she encounters.

What do you wish you knew 10/15/20 years ago?

When you leave, this life stuff doesn’t come with you. Relationships do–so focus on the people and doing everything with the highest integrity and the rest will follow.

Fill in the blank: You can never have enough ________.

…friends and family around you.

What city best describes your personality?

Seattle on a sunny day. It is a city that values hard work, innovative ideas, focus on talent (what you bring to table, not what you look like) and family.

What gets you through even the toughest days and what are you most grateful for?

My family.

What socio-political women’s issue do you care about the most? Do you feel that women are typically presented fairly in the media? Why or why not?

The thing that gets under my skin is the way women are often described–both in the media and otherwise. Words that are often used to describe women include:
– “Narcissism” when women promote themselves or their talents,
– “Bossy” when they are being directive,
– “Aggressive” when making tough decisions,
– “Sensitive” or “highly strung” when they care about something.

We need to use more positive language more often when talking about women.

Despite separation between Church & State, religion still seems to govern decisions regarding women–abortions, birth control, etc. How do we shift power over women’s bodies to women?

We shift this by having more women in power who are driving and influencing these decisions.

What is your best read? Favorite character you would most like to be?

Color of Water by James McBride. An inspiring memoir of a multi-racial family that conquers racial and economic barriers. Despite poverty and difficult conditions, all the children grow to be highly educated and when asked, ‘What is the color of Jesus?’ the answer: The color of water.

What will it take for women to be viewed as equal to men?

Many women today will choose to opt out of the workplace due to the fact that the responsibility of home life clashes with the ability to be productive in the work environment. While it is important for the work environment to enable flexibility, I think it goes a step beyond that and we need to look at family responsibilities differently. It needs to be accepted in society that men take on the caregiving roles to the same extent as women–including childcare, daily household tasks, etc. so that the home-life workload is equally born by both parties.

What is your best decision to date? Worst decision?

Best decision: marrying Peter Cochran.

Worst decision: there are many decisions I have made along this path that in hindsight were bad or naïve choices. But, it is what you do in those times–how you handle the mistake–that is important. You address it with ownership and transparency and take your learnings with you to the next stage. We all have our battle scars and they make us better.

Social media has exploded. How can women use it to market themselves without seeming narcissistic?

A man never thinks that using social media would look narcissistic. It can be effective and useful and should be used with integrity and appropriately. Assuming it’s utilized in the correct way, it should demonstrate confidence and achieve the goal it was set out to achieve.