Great Choices Leadership Team

Drawing on her background as a teacher, curriculum designer, national training director, and educational editor and her experience leading students, parents and educators, Cheryl leads the development of the Great Choices curriculum. As a co-founder and the chief executive officer of Think College LLC and the Great Choices program, Cheryl ensures that all resources are comprehensive, practical, and versatile, meeting the highest standards of content and instructional design. Prior to founding Great Choices, Cheryl served extensively as a volunteer school official, and worked as a classroom teacher, a small business owner/operator, a national franchise training director, and an editor for complex instructional manuals. Cheryl has been an invited presenter at numerous state-wide conferences, as well as the National Middle School Association Conference, Northwest Regional GEAR UP Conference, and National Council for Community and Education Partnerships/GEAR UP Conference. Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University. Contact Cheryl to learn more about Think College and Great Choices today!

For more than 20 years, Lynne has been passionately committed to creating innovative solutions that equip all students for college, career, and citizenship. As the president of Think College, LLC and co-founder of Great Choices, Lynne works with secondary schools and post secondary institutions across the U.S. to develop creative, practical, and effective readiness pathways for students, parents, and schools. Prior to founding Great Choices, Lynne worked as a leader in various educational support organizations, and in public relations, training, and marketing for USA Swimming and USA Wrestling, as well as the California Society of CPAs. Lynne has been an invited presenter at numerous statewide conferences, as well as the National Middle School Association Conference, and National Council for Community and Education Partnerships/GEAR UP. Lynne holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University. Contact Lynne to learn more about Think College and Great Choices today!

Todd is a media, technology and business lawyer and licensing advisor with 24 years experience. Most recently, Todd served as Director of IP Management at the University of Washington TechTransfer office, managing a team of paralegals and professionals, and external firms, protecting a large and varied portfolio of intellectual property. From 1998-2008, Todd served as Associate General Counsel at RealNetworks, Inc., a global Internet media and software company, and also served as Real's Chief Privacy Officer 2005-2008. From 1985-1998 Todd was in private practice in Los Angeles, representing clients at all levels of the media, entertainment and software industries. Additionally, Todd served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Southwestern University School of Law from 1994-1998, where he taught Copyright Law and Media Law. In 1987 Todd served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge John G. Davies in Los Angeles. Todd is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley for both law school and college (J.D. Boalt Hall 1985; A.B. Economics 1981). Todd currently provides consulting services to early stage companies concerning licensing, IP, strategic and policy issues affecting media and technology entities.

Sylvia's bio is coming soon!

Rick has been a counselor, teacher, and administrator at the public school, community college, and university level for over thirty years. Besides twenty three years of direct counseling for students entering college, Rick served as a coordinator of instructional services, director of counseling, dean of student services, and vice president of student services in colleges in Colorado, California, and Washington. Rick holds Washington State secondary credentials in counseling, speech, and science. He attended community college at Chabot College (Hayward, CA) and Skagit Valley College (Mt. Vernon, WA) before completing his bachelor's degree in speech education and his master's degree in counseling from Washington State University. He received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in education administration community college leadership. Throughout his career, Rick has designed and delivered courses and services emphasizing college success, career and life planning, and personal responsibility and decision-making

Ken Waters is the Blanche E. Seaver Professor of Journalism at Pepperdine University. He has been teaching journalism, mass communication theory and communication ethics at Pepperdine since 1989. Each year he also teaches a first-year seminar course in which he helps students adjust to college life both academically and personally. Some of the elements of this course include the keys to academic success, how to turn interests and passions into successful careers, and how to live an ethically satisfying life. Ken received his Ph.D. in communication theory from the University of Southern California. He also holds M.A. degrees in religion and communication from Pepperdine, where he received his B.A. in journalism and history. Ken's research on religious journalism, nonprofit fundraising ethics and journalism ethics has been published in several scholarly journals. He has also written extensively as a freelance writer. Prior to his career at Pepperdine, Ken served as a traveling journalist and public relations director for the relief and development agency World Vision.