Cheryl Little
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.— Eleanor Roosevelt
Cheryl is a strategist working at the intersection of social change and the environment. She helps organizations reframe and resolve tough challenges, envision new futures, and find equitable and inclusive pathways toward social, economic and ecological well-being.
She has more than 25 years of experience in community sustainability, equitable development, and environmental justice. She has also helped government agencies, foundations, and nonprofits formulate strategies to deepen their impact with a focus on systems change, social equity, and inclusion of Black, Indigenous, People of Color and lower wealth individuals. Through her research and multi stakeholder collaborations, she delivers real-world insights and compelling stories that uplift and center equity in projects, plans and policies.
Her areas of expertise include:
- Social impact analysis of policy and technology, with a focus on centering equity and racial justice in decisions affecting land use, surface transportation, climate change, disaster resilience, smart growth, and parks and recreation
- Strategic planning focused on systems change and scaling
- Transforming complex science and policy into meaningful communications
Experience
Cheryl has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Tau Beta Pi) from the Colorado School of Mines. She holds a Master of Arts in International Development from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
In Community
As a believer in the power of art, she volunteers to help writers and other creatives to connect with their audiences for personal growth and positive social change, embracing environmental sustainability and social equity.
Cheryl lives with her husband, teen artist daughter and loyal, yet liberated, terrier in Silver Spring, Maryland. A born researcher and lover of all things culture, she has been known to crash the National Book Festival and survey random readers about how books have changed their lives—among the best five-minute conversations she’s ever had.