Cheryl holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Northwestern University where she is an adjunct faculty member in the School of Education and Social Policy. She has taught sociology, social psychology, and African American studies at Lake Forest
College, Northeastern Illinois University and Northwestern University. Her research focuses on the intersections of race, class, and gender. Her book, Interracial Marriages Between Black Women and White Men published in 2008 was the first academic text published on the experiences of black women in interracial marriages.
Her latest book, Interracial Relationships Between Black Women and White Men (July 2018) focuses on the experiences of black women who are dating, married to, or divorced from white men. Additionally, she interviewed white men on why they prefer to date or marry black women.