Cheryl is a graduate of Mississippi Valley State University with Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees in Criminal Justice. She worked for the Mississippi Department of Corrections for seven and a half years during which she held the positions of : Drill Instructor, Correctional Officer I, Correctional officer IV and Assistant to the Associate Warden. She also worked as a supervisor with the Denton County Juvenile Detention Center and as a program coordinator for the SAMPET program with the YWCA in Dallas. Cheryl is currently serving as the Program Coordinator for the Law Enforcement department with NCTC.