About Us and Our Values

I have always been the type to help others first even as a small girl. Sometimes I feel my heart is too big and it hurts when I cannot help those I want to. I feel helpless and not sure of what to do for them. If I’m being honest this all stems from my personal experiences – I have been through a lot in my lifetime, from physical/mental abuse as a child by family members to being held at gunpoint, to verbal abuses by people I’ve dated to breast cancer and having a double mastectomy, all of which I have survived, and with my Angels, I have come out stronger.

When I look back there were so many things that I thought I needed to accomplish only to realize one day that when I was pushing myself so hard, I was not being honest or true to myself, and what I needed to be was happy with me, for me, in me, in this crazy world of ours. I have thought over the years that there must be a place for me out there somewhere in which to help others like me survive as I have, a place where I can help women obtain advice/support from other women in dealing with a certain situation, any situation she finds unbearable, or maybe she just needs to have that tribal community of support. I wanted that – I wanted to be a part of that for others.

I say all of this to say that I have survived this whirlwind life so far and all of my experiences brought me here to Her Nexx Chapter in 2019. The idea of Her Nexx Chapter was a godsend for me and one that I have prayed about for so long. That is what Her Nexx Chapter is all about. It is about women being there for other women in helping her find “Her Nexx Chapter” in life. It is about giving other women the courage and the strength to be free, to speak out, to stretch and grow into the beautiful souls they are, and to shine. That is what Her Nexx Chapter does and for that, I am happy to be a part of it.

Here’s to us women and our strength in heart and soul to be the light in the darkness and shine on for others, helping all those we can.

Hope is the Thing with Feathers

Hope is the thing with feathers,
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all.
~ Emily Dickinson

Tenacious. Terrific. Trustworthy. Truthful. And sometimes Trouble. When you ask my family, friends and coworkers about me, they will probably list these attributes. Or qualities. For good and for bad.

I am the only child to my mother Grace and my father Ken who met in Blackpool, England during the Second World War, which means much of my family resides in England. Including my daughter who met my son-in-law during her junior year abroad at Oxford University.

I grew up not knowing that my mother had an accent, never understanding the difference between English and American terminology so that even today I will say a word and people will look perplexed, and I realize I am using the English word and not the American one. I’m an only child because my parents decided traveling back to England would be very difficult with more children. My father made a point to keep me from being spoiled which was a double-edged sword because his lack of praise left me with a feeling that I had to try twice as hard as anyone else just to keep up. The end result is one very motivated woman, and I constantly seek continued learning and new challenges.

My first words were undoubtedly “When are you going to give me a horse?” and thus Patience Prize and I became a team when I was 14. My father once again made sure I knew the horse was not to be taken for granted when he said, “Now you’ve got a horse, you’d better get a job. And you won’t be paid for mowing the lawn anymore.” My love of animals produced my first job at the local veterinarians cleaning up cages and feeding animals. One small dog had broken her two front legs, was terribly vicious, and no one could touch her. After her surgery she was crammed up in a corner while still asleep, and I moved her into a more comfortable position and, of course, petted her and spoke to her. After that I was the only one who could open her cage and touch her without getting bitten. She must have known my smell.

Years passed and I became both a photojournalist and regular journalist with local Berkshire County Massachusetts newspapers. When I returned to college to complete my bachelor’s degree, my journalism provided me with life experience credits and thus I completed my BA in English.

What to do next? I had student loans, so I needed either grad school or a second job. My daughter waitressed at a local restaurant open only on weekends and they said they needed a dishwasher, so she said, “My brother needs a job.” Then they asked, “So who else do you have at home?” and she said, “My mom.” Thus, I tried the second job routine as a waitress. We served wine in long-stemmed glasses and carried them on a tray. During one shift I was at a table of two women and the tray started to tilt, and I couldn’t stop it! So, I stood there and watched the wine glasses crash down on the table and splash everywhere. It was not a happy time for all involved. So, I said, “That’s it, I’m going to grad school.”

I took my daughter and son to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, we ate at the Russian Tea Room, and I told them they couldn’t bug me for two years. The non-traditional program at Vermont College of Norwich University was a full-time program so I had a full-time job, a full-time grad school program, a son in high school and a daughter in college. During my internship I worked 7:00 a.m. to noon, drove to Albany, New York (a one-hour drive one way), worked at a public relations firm from 1:00 to 6:00 and stopped at the restaurant where my two offspring worked about 7:00 for a glass of wine and a light dinner.

Then I realized I didn’t have time to clean the bathroom, so I hired a cleaning lady (very inexpensive in a small town back then) and decided that was an expense associated with grad school. That was a valuable decision. The downside of a small town is that a master’s degree doesn’t allow for many jobs at a living wage. I decided I would move.

After networking for several years and finding a church in Washington, DC I moved to northern Virginia on October 2, 1999, never having lived more than 6 miles from where I was born. I got a job the second day. I bought a house that January and a horse, Sonny Madison, in January 2001 and have never regretted my choice or looked back.

At some point in 2018 I found Her Nexx Chapter and started writing for them. It provides me with a chance to get in touch with my creative style since my most prevalent job has been a technical writer. Now I’m also the Editorial Project Director and a member of the Advisory Board. It’s a tremendous value to women everywhere, and I always enjoying learning something new and sharing my blogs with the community.

So here I am. I’m still horseback riding and trying to keep fit. I try to look for the positive side of life even in times of turmoil – notice I said “try” because sometimes life gets to be a tad difficult. But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

My heart has always had a passion for helping women and children live their best. After ten years of teaching elementary school, I was at a crossroads between my work and my new role as a mother. I chose to stay home with my (now) three daughters. During this life transition, I became certified as a health coach, began working with clients, and headed a wellness program local to my community. This inspired me to pursue a master’s degree in public health.

The past five years of my life have been spent living overseas in the United Kingdom for my husband’s job. Our family is deeply committed to exploring cultures and hiking our way to new experiences. When I am not traveling, you can find me volunteering in the community as a Girl Scout leader. As a mother of three girls, my passion for serving females of all ages has grown to be a pillar of my lifelong values.

Since my high school days when the journalism bug bit me, I’ve always loved editing and writing, and I’ve held editor roles for newspapers and college yearbooks. With a degree in public relations and journalism, I had many opportunities to enhance those skills. I relocated from Chicago to Dallas, Texas to attend an international bible college, where I met and married the wonderful man I share my life with, Marcus. I was invited to work in the editorial department at the college and remained there for over a decade. That experience gave me a heart for the world, as I met and still maintain relationships with friends across the globe.

Then it was transition time again, and I began my career in healthcare, which is where I’ve been working for the past 21 years. Those editing, writing and proofreading skills are now requested by doctors who are immensely respected in their field, and I count it such an honor. It was one of these doctors who gave me the nickname “Eagle Eyes,” and I gladly owned it. I also consider it a joy to work as a freelance editor and to date have edited 12 books. I enjoy the arts, traveling and experiencing new cultures, cuisine and music. I’m a big essential oils user for therapeutic health and wellness and thrive on learning the latest in that arena. I also like to read, watch documentaries and devour investigative journalism stories.

My role as Editor-in-Chief allows me the privilege of working with a team of talented writers who have taken Lady Chap’s vision to heart, and it is indeed my pleasure to serve with them. I’ve always been a people-connector and seeing women join HNC, get connected, explore, and support one another delights my heart. There is a place here for you. Whether you know what’s on the pages of your next chapter or you’re just making that discovery, Her Nexx Chapter welcomes you exactly where you’re at. It could just be “serendipity” for you!

I first heard about Her Nexx Chapter through a friend I reconnected with on social media, a lifelong friend I first met when I was a student in Texas about 20 years ago. I have since been residing in England with my husband and now two sons. Having graduated from university a second time in recent years, I find myself enjoying my work in the design and marketing industry. I am absolutely honored to be able to serve in this capacity at HNC alongside the most inspiring of women. I can attest that HNC is one of the most inclusive organizations, with an ongoing culture of contributing and mentoring one another.

At HNC, we work with a diverse audience, and we encourage each other to develop their creativity. Teaming up with like-minded collaborators on the platform has developed my confidence and skills. We are a friendly, supportive and understanding bunch, who build each other up with integrity and affirmation. I have three words in mind to describe the individuals I’ve come across in this community – Genuine, Gracious and Generous. I trust that HNC will continue to impact the lives of women the world over. Viva HNC!

My personal motto has always been “Go where you can do the most good,” though I must clarify that it was my older sister who put it into words. Ever since I was born and raised in the Philippines I’ve always been pushing back against oppressive pain – first as a sickly child who was always hospitalized for life-threatening illnesses like hepatitis, measles or typhoid fever, then as a student who called out teachers and school heads abusing their authority over my cohorts. Right now, I have resolved to become active in both Philippine and US civil society after our younger sister was imprisoned for five years as collateral damage on a fraudulent war on drugs.

This helped me see the value in being able to articulate my thoughts. It is why I honed my writing skills at my high school’s newspaper, then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication and kept a blog all throughout. While I never fulfilled my dream of becoming a journalist, much less a newscaster, I took the opportunity to learn and engage with how people from all corners of the world and all walks of life shared information and opinion, building a career in marketing and public relations in the process. Fun fact: my insights proved valuable in the production of a Filipino movie by a well-known director who was a university cohort (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5755634/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast)!

I became efficient in multitasking, growing and honing other skills in line with my interests. During my school years, I would turn homework over while editing my classmate’s submissions on the side. Outside of class, I taught English to foreign students, arranged play dates with orphanages, launched donation drives for disaster relief, and mobilized friends for housing outreach activities. Prior to my relocation to Kansas in the USA, all these skills became very handy as I ended up managing the campaigns and accounts of global powerhouses in consumer goods, banking/finance, technology, and healthcare across market research, traditional and social media. After spending much of my life as a fangirl for media franchises, I was fortunate to professionally represent some of the largest entertainment companies in the world as a marketing communicator.

That said, when not minding clients or working with Her Nexx Chapter I enjoy watching films, television shows, and animation. I also enjoy both cooking and savoring food, learning new languages, reading books, playing video games, both engaging and listening to music, taking sight-seeing trips, jogging, taking long walks, and engaging in fandom spaces during my downtime.

I believe in the good of humankind and that we all want to do good. I have always liked to help others and volunteer a lot of my time in any way I can. My love for helping others and my passion for everything visual has led me to building my own small business, where I strive to serve other small business owners like myself, creating brand identity, photography, marketing materials, and other design-related projects. Setting up a business all by myself isn’t an easy journey, and I have met many amazing women who have inspired and motivated me to persevere, and possibly help or inspire other like-minded women who might be in the same boat as myself. And this is exactly why I volunteer at Her Nexx Chapter, to inspire and be inspired, to support and be supported, and to learn as well as to impart any knowledge we all need as women to thrive in this world.

I’m Cheryl, and I have been married to my husband Kurt since 2008. He is a Navy Veteran. We have 3 wonderful children: Kurt is 11, Kaeden is 9 and Khloe is 7.

We purchased our ranch a year after experiencing the farming life from my parents’ perspective, and we love the lifestyle. We have 33 acres where we breed and raise cattle for showing through 4H, as well as commercial cattle for beef. In addition, we do square and round hay bales.

For me, meeting Lady Chap and getting involved with HNC was exactly what I needed as I was looking for a group to connect with where I could be myself as well as use the skills I had acquired to make a difference. And, as the Director of Community Ambassadors, I have many opportunities to work with ladies from around the world who have joined us. I am grateful for the opportunity to have had a part in the area of design, and I cherish my nickname of “Tink” – short for Tinkerbell – since I was known for the fairy dust I spread around.

I’m the type of person who will go above and beyond for everyone else before helping myself, that’s just me. Here, I was accepted for just who I am (even though I was told to take more breaks). And now, here we are, I can’t believe it has been over 4 years since becoming a Co-Founder for Her Nexx Chapter! It is amazing to see where we have come from and where we are going!

I have always aspired to be a public servant in one way or another, and this aspiration has fueled my career decisions and life trajectory. I began my journey at a modest college in Southwest Virginia, Radford University, and majored in political science with minors in my passions – creative writing and human rights. After graduating, I tried my hand at government work with joining FEMA, but realized I was better fit for the nonprofit industry. In 2017, I moved to Washington, DC to go to graduate school at American University, and I am still in DC today! My masters in ethics, peace, and global affairs only fueled my desire to be a public servant even more. Currently, I work at a community development financial institution (CDFI) on their capital raise team to help redistribute wealth and advance equitable finance in the United States.

I love to help young women on their career paths, provide any sort of advice on graduate school/industry change, or just be a sounding board to bounce ideas off of! In my spare time, I like to eat seafood, play pinball, and explore DC. I was born in Newport News, VA, and I’m a part of a family of four.