Christal M. Cherry, The Board Pro, worked 23 years as a nonprofit fundraiser serving higher education institutions, seminaries, and human service organizations. Now as a board consultant for nonprofits, she equips and empowers boards to support their missions and change the world. Her services as Principal and CEO of The Board Pro, include recruitment, governance, fundraising, conflict resolution and diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging.

Christal has enjoyed training and speaking engagements with Candid, Bloomerang, Network for Good, QGiv, Keela, Out in the Boons and Nonprofit Hub. She has also been a guest on several podcasts including We Are for Good, Nonprofit Nation, Nonprofit Lowdown, Nonprofit Coffee Talk, Nonprofit Vision, Nonprofit Jenni, Mission Impact, The Nonprofit Mastermind and Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership.

Christal earned an MA in Counseling from Hampton University, a BA in Liberal Arts from Hofstra University and professional development certifications in nonprofit leadership, social media fundraising, and nonprofit management. She recently earned certification as a Quadrant 3 Leadership Coach and as a Nonprofit Board Consultant with Board Source.

She is a contributing author to Collecting Courage, a collection of first-person narratives from Black fundraisers documenting their experiences with racism in the nonprofit sector. In 2021, Christal authored her first children’s book, Mac and Cheez, Being Different is Okay which is available on Amazon.