Dr. Cheryl Watkins

Dr. Cheryl Watkins, M.B.A. has a diverse work experience spanning various roles and industries. Dr. Cheryl'smost recent role is as a Member at Chief, starting in 2023. Prior to that, they served as the President & CEO of YWCA Metro St. Louis, where they provided leadership in women's advocacy and managed a large team serving over 11,000 women and their families. Dr. Cheryl was also involved in supporting minority entrepreneurs as an Executive on Loan at Harris Stowe State University and as the Director & Lead of the STEM Entrepreneurial Inclusion Initiative at BioSTL. In addition, Dr. Watkins founded and served as CEO of Rare Obsidian Inc, addressing the workforce displacement caused by technology advancements. Dr. Cheryl co-founded and co-hosted the Entrepreneurially Thinking Podcast, which received awards and recognition for its innovation-focused content. Dr. Watkins also has experience in the cannabis industry as the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy & Marketing Corporate Officer of REAL Cannabis Co. Furthermore, they developed rehabilitation technologies as the CEO and Co-Founder of Accelerated Rehabilitation Technologies, LLC. Dr. Cheryl founded UPstart Innovations LLC and served as a Founder & CEO. Dr. Watkins also contributed to the Northwestern University School of Law as an Adjunct Professor, teaching entrepreneurship in their Master of Science in Law Program.

Dr. Cheryl Watkins, M.B.A., holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, with a focus on marketing, healthcare, and finance. Dr. Cheryl also earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Fisk University, majoring in biology. Additionally, Dr. Watkins holds a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine, specializing in surgery.