Cheryl Nelson

Former Director of Design Studio

Biography

Cheryl has been with the Raikes School since September 2017, when she joined Design Studio as Program Lead. In March 2022, she was appointed Director of Design Studio. Cheryl has mentored students in the best practices of product development, and she has been instrumental in business development and sponsor relations that has led to several innovative partnerships with Design Studio. She is passionate about leadership and entrepreneurship and very excited about the future of Design Studio.

Cheryl has 20+ years of experience managing and directing technology initiatives and teams for large fortune 500 companies, mostly in and around the Kansas City area. She and her husband are small business owners and investors. She learned about the Raikes School from a friend and was thrilled at the opportunity to leverage her industry background in the Design Studio.

Cheryl has her undergraduate in Management from Webster University in Missouri. She is in pursuit of her Master's Degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Business Analytics.

She is an avid traveler, enjoys kayaking, paddleboarding and cycling. She is a continual learner and enjoys studying language and culture. She has been accused of getting an Amazon package every day and has since changed her ways.

Teaching

  • RAIK 401H Design Studio I
  • RAIK 402H Design Studio II
  • RAIK 403H Design Studio III
  • RAIK 404H Design Studio IV
  • RAIK 405H Research Studio I
  • RAIK 406H Research Studio II
Past Teaching
  • RAIK 186H Foundations of Leadership II
Clifton Strengths
Input People exceptionally talented in the Input theme have a need to collect and archive. They may accumulate information, ideas, artifacts or even relationships.
Achiever People exceptionally talented in the Achiever theme work hard and possess a great deal of stamina. They take immense satisfaction in being busy and productive.
Learner People exceptionally talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. The process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
Woo People exceptionally talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with someone.
Arranger People exceptionally talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to determine how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity.
Areas of Expertise
  • Leadership
  • Product Management
  • IT Infrastructure
  • Planning
  • Agile Software Development Principles