Dr. Lakeya Cherry, DSW: CEO of The Network for Social Work Management

Dr. Lakeya Cherry, DSW, MSSW is the Chief Executive Officer of The Network for Social Work Management, an international membership organization dedicated to strengthening leadership in health and human services. Under her leadership, the Network has grown globally and introduced new, innovative programming that meets the needs of social work and human services leaders everywhere. At her previous position with 2U, Inc., a technology company partnering with prestigious universities to place degree programs online, she was a Senior Regional Field Manager for the University of Southern California School of Social Work’s online Master of Social Work program. Dr. Cherry was in charge of spearheading national partnerships and managing field education agency development initiatives. She has also held a variety of direct service positions in the nonprofit sector and volunteers during her free time. Dr. Cherry currently serves on the board for the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP).

She earned her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Legal Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Dr. Cherry earned her Doctorate in Social Work from the USC .Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Her capstone project, “Changemakers of Color: A Model for Racial Equity in the Nonprofit Sector” focuses on addressing the racial leadership gap in the nonprofit sector.

Dr. Cherry holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from the National Human Services Assembly in collaboration with The Fund-Raising School at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, the Executive Education Program at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, and ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. She is also a StartingBloc Fellow, #IamRemarkable Facilitator, and Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator.