Cheryl Dorsey, President

An accomplished social entrepreneur with expertise in health care, labor issues and public policy, Cheryl Dorsey was named President of Echoing Green in May 2002. She is the first Echoing Green Fellow to lead this global nonprofit, which has awarded more than $25 million in start-up capital to nearly 450 social entrepreneurs worldwide since 1987.

Dorsey received her education at Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges where she earned a degree in history and science in 1985. In 1992, while training to be a pediatrician at Harvard Medical School, she received an Echoing Green Fellowship. With it, she launched the Family Van, a community-based mobile health unit that provides basic health care and outreach services to at-risk residents of inner-city Boston neighborhoods.

As a public policy innovator, Cheryl served as a White House Fellow from 1997-1998, serving as Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Labor, advising the Clinton Administration on health care and other issues. She was later named Special Assistant to the Director of the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Labor Department, where she helped develop family-friendly workplace policies and spearheaded the labor secretary’s pay equity initiative.

Cheryl serves on the board of the Coro New York Leadership Center, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO), and Freelancers Insurance Company, Inc., a for-profit insurance company and subsidiary of Working Today. She also serves as an advisory board member of the Action Tank for Social Entrepreneurs, America Forward, and the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation. Dorsey is a 2006 Henry Crown Fellow through the Aspen Institute, a 2007 Prime Mover Fellow through the Hunt Alternatives Fund, and a member of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Visiting Committee.

Cheryl has received numerous awards and honors for her commitment to public service, including the Pfizer Roerig History of Medicine Award, the Robert Kennedy Distinguished Public Service Award and the Manuel C. Carballo Memorial Prize. She holds a B.A. in History and Science from Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges, an M.D. from the Harvard Medical School and an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. She writes and speaks widely on minority affairs, social justice, social entrepreneurship, and maternal and child health issues.

Why do you do what you do?

wdydwyd sign: Champion Change!

We are at a moment in history where we truly have all of the resources we need to take on and solve some of our toughest social problems. We also have a cadre of committed social change agents, such as the Echoing Green Fellows, who are fully dedicated to leading the charge to end poverty, homelessness, educational inequity, global warming, etc. They are leading a quiet revolution, a revolution for positive social change and I truly believe that in my lifetime, we'll see the end of some of these terrible afflictions that rob people of equal opportunity and hope.

My social change passion

Given the work I do at Echoing Green, my true passion is supporting emerging social entrepreneurs who are fully committed to seeing through their visions for social change whether it's fighting for the human and civil rights of others or working to ensure full educational opportunities for young people. Social progress is desirable but never guaranteed. It depends on the action and dedication of individuals such as the Echoing Green Fellows to continue to fight the good fight for equal opportunity for all.

What's your favorite quote?

"What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" That quote is attributed to Robert H. Schuller. I've always loved it because it recognizes that we are all capable of great things in our lives but one of the biggest barriers holding us back is our own fear of failure. Walking through that fear is not only a tremendous act of courage but also the key step towards profound change in your own life and the lives of others.

What's your sign?

I'm a Leo but not in that out-sized, over-the-top way that Leos are often written about. It is said that Leos are born leaders either in support of, or in revolt against the status quo. I'll leave it to the reader to figure out where I fall along that spectrum!

What's your hometown?

I was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Both sides of my family still reside there. Although I moved away for school and work when I was eighteen, I continue to spend alot of time there. Baltimore is a tough town with lots of very serious social problems--serious youth violence, high drop-out rates, significant substance abuse rates--but it is a city that its sons and daughters rarely leave. We have the Orioles, the Ravens, great crabs and other seafood, a terrific inner harbor, so all in all, there's alot to recommend about the place.

I just mastered...

I wish I could come up with some really high-brow, impressive, and cultured response to this one. But I can't. However, I am totally excited that I just figured out how to watch my favorite television shows on my laptop. (Given that I just learned how to IM last month, this is a stunning achievement.) It allows me to keep up with such shows as Heroes, The Office, Chuck, K-Ville, etc. I am really proud (and worried) about this accomplishment all at the same time!

Any pets?

I have undoubtedly the cutest dog in the world. Her name is Josie and she's a bagel--a bassett hound/beagle mix. She's short and squat like a bassett (but not as drooly) and cute as a button like a beagle. She has food issues--meaning she's never met a piece of food or trash or chicken bone that she hasn't tried to steal or devour. We've been to the doggie emergency room on a number of occasions for various food theft incidents including 5 Krispy Kreme donuts; 12 danishes; one hunk of red velvet cake; and one box of Godiva chocolates.

Where was your last vacation?

Because I travel so much for my job, my last vacation was spent in my own apartment! It was such a pleasure spending one uninterrupted week in my own home, with my dog, and with my stuff. I caught up on some reading, some house cleaning and got to spend time with my friends and had time to take long walks with Josie in the park.