Kathie Cherry is the mother of three adult children, two of whom are on the autism spectrum, a factor that has directed Kathie’s life since the early 1980s. Her oldest daughter was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome as an adult shortly before the DSM changed the label of that diagnosis. Her son’s characteristics are on the more classic end of the autism spectrum. Kathie’s family moved to Delaware in 1997 so their son could attend the John S. Charlton School, which is a special school of the statewide Delaware Autism Program in Kent County. Prior to moving to Delaware, she began her journey into advocacy by starting a support group in her community for families of children with disabilities, called “People Who Care”. Following this initiative, Kathie worked for the New Mexico Autism Program as a Parent Liaison for three counties and for the Arc of New Mexico as a Parent Coordinator and grassroots advocate. Her desire to learn more about advocacy led her to the Partners in Policymaking advocacy training program in New Mexico in 1995 and to the Partners program in Delaware in 2000. After her family’s move to Delaware, Kathie worked for the Client Assistance Program of United Cerebral Palsy-Delaware for three years before joining the GACEC as Administrative Assistant/Office Manager in November of 2000. She is a longstanding member of Autism Delaware and the Arc of Delaware and regularly provides information on disability issues to the community, including the Dover Air Force Base community. Kathie is married to a retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant who recently retired as a middle school special education teacher. She also is grandmother to one granddaughter and four step grandsons. Kathie is the Office Manager for the GACEC.

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