Cheryl is a proud product of California public schools with more than 17 years of experience in community and union organizing. She has spent the last decade organizing alongside educators in roles at the National Education Association and most recently the California Teachers Association. At CTA, Cheryl led union organizing campaigns with charter school educators throughout the state, including a hard-fought victory at the 16-school High Tech High charter school chain to win union recognition and a first contract. This victory secured a fair pay scale, a meaningful teacher evaluation process, guaranteed lunch breaks and limits on class sizes. Cheryl also worked on organizational development for CTA, leading several programs designed to strengthen organizing campaigns, including staff and local leader development. This work was critical to building power and focus to win the schools our students deserve. Cheryl went to Rutgers University as an undergraduate, and has a Masters degree from the University of Washington. She previously served as the project director for the Union Women’s Leadership Education Project and as a labor educator at The Washington State Labor Education and Research Center (WA LERC). Cheryl is a mother of two children in California public schools and enjoys watching musical theater, reading sci-fi and history books and baking. She was born and raised in San Diego, but has a newfound love for hiking Los Angeles trails. She is thrilled to be working with members of the mighty UTLA.
