Cheryl is passionate about history, the impact of music on social change, and uniquely American narratives. She credits this inspiration to her colorful and eccentric family of storytellers from the rural South, who have vividly brought their poignant experiences to life through the rich tradition of oral history. She has also been inspired by leaders she worked with in Fortune 500 companies, who used their voices to drive positive social change in their communities. In a culture often fixated on celebrities, she follows America’s backroads to reveal the untold struggles and triumphs of everyday Americans who have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

Cheryl has an MBA from the University of Wisconsin.

Melissa Dougherty has spent her lifetime listening to others and helping them to find their voice—as an inquisitive qualitative researcher, proactive social worker, insightful clinical therapist, and as a mother and friend. She is intrinsically curious about new people and places and ventures off the beaten path whenever possible (Her honeymoon, for example, was a journey along the mythic Route 66). Melissa comes by her love of the grass roots honestly: she has lived in everywhere from Goleta CA to Denver, CO, and from Minneapolis MN to Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH ultimately NYC. She has visited almost every state.

Melissa has a BA from Northwestern University and an MSW from Silberman School of Social Work in NYC.