Cheryl Dowd

Senior Director, State Authorization Network & WCET Policy Innovations

cdowd@wiche.edu

LinkedIn Profile

Expertise Includes:

• Policy analysis for judicial opinions, statutes, regulations, and guidance related to postsecondary digital education,
• Compliance training for institutions to meet distance education-related requirements to provide student consumer protections,
• State and Federal Compliance considerations for out-of-state activity compliance for postsecondary institutions (including for military students).

Bio

Cheryl joined WCET in August 2015 as the director of the State Authorization Network. She currently serves as the senior director, policy innovations. She directs the overall activities of WCET’s State Authorization Network (SAN), including coordination of staff addressing interstate policy and compliance and other ancillary compliance issues. As senior director, Cheryl also serves the overall WCET membership in addressing emerging and special regulatory issues related to digital learning in postsecondary education. She brings extensive experience in education and compliance to the WCET team and is a contributing author for State Authorization of Colleges and Universities, a guidebook for understanding the legal basis for State and Federal compliance for activities of postsecondary institutions.

Cheryl holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Richmond, a master’s degree in criminal justice from Bowling Green State University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from James Madison University. She is the mother of four kids, all of whom have been instrumental in helping her develop new interests in theatre, hockey, and figure skating. Outside of work, Cheryl enjoys spending time with her family and is an avid fan of movies and TV shows written by Aaron Sorkin.