Resume

Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D. began her career as a classroom teacher in Stafford, Virginia, where she taught seventh grade History and Civics. In 1995, she was appointed the first teacher ever to serve on the State Board of Education. Soon after, she was also appointed to the Early Childhood Education Board and the State Council of Higher Education.

Her leadership and ingenuity became well-recognized, and soon she was promoted to cabinet-level positions in three states, serving as the as the Secretary of Education in Virginia, Commissioner of Education in Minnesota, and Chancellor of Education in Florida. She also served as a senior official in the U.S. Department of Education.
  

From 2008 until her retirement in 2015, Dr. Yecke served as the Associate Provost for Graduate Programs and Professor of History and Political Science at Harding University. While at Harding she also was a professor of history and political science, and taught Constitutional Law and Administrative Law at the undergraduate level, as well as graduate courses in leadership.

Dr. Yecke's work has been published in national magazines, peer-reviewed journals, and newspapers across the country. She is also the author of six books: 

• The War Against Excellence: The Rising Tide of Mediocrity in America’s Middle Schools, 
• Mayhem in the Middle 
• The USS Emmons: Eyewitness Accounts from Survivors of the Battle of Okinawa

Her most current work is listed below, and can be accessed by clicking on "Discovering Laura" and "Media Kit" at the top of the screen.

• Discovering Laura: The Historical Laura In galls Wilder (volume 1)
• Discovering Laura: The Historical Laura Ingalls Wilder (volume 2)
• Discovering Almanzo: The Historical Almanzo Wilder (volune 3)

Dr. Yecke's work has been published in national magazines, peer-reviewed journals, and newspapers across the country. She has given over 350 keynote addresses/presentations in over twenty states and remains a sought-after presenter.  

Dr. Yecke earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Hawaii, a Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and a Ph.D. at the University of Virginia.   She is married to Major Dennis Yecke, USMC (retired), and they have two grown daughters, Anastasia and Tiffany 

Explore Cheri's published books , here, on Amazon.com.

See interview here.