Cheri Cruz, M.ED.
Cheri Cruz, M.Ed. is an accomplished public relations and community engagement professional serving as Director of Public Relations and Community Relations at The Fresno Center, a community-based nonprofit organization located in the urban core of Fresno, California. In this role, she leads strategic communications, partnership development, and external relations efforts designed to strengthen community impact and expand organizational visibility. She is also a faculty member at Fresno State in the Counselor Education and Rehabilitation Program, where she teaches career and student development theory and mentors future professionals in the counseling field.
At The Fresno Center, Cheri’s work is deeply rooted in day-to-day community responsiveness and collaboration. Her role requires her to stay closely attuned to evolving community needs, often beginning her mornings in meetings with city leaders, including the mayor’s office, to address housing challenges and explore ways nonprofit initiatives can support public priorities. She regularly engages with corporate and community partners such as AT&T and CalViva Health to secure funding for initiatives including community gardens, education scholarships, and other outreach programs. A significant part of her work also includes overseeing large-scale food distribution efforts in partnership with the Central California Food Bank, serving approximately 500 families. She ensures that these efforts are documented, communicated, and shared through media releases, social platforms, and community outreach, amplifying awareness and encouraging broader participation.
In addition to her leadership in communications, Cheri contributes directly to mental health and social services programming through special projects at an adult day health care center, where she provides case management and applies her counseling expertise to support individuals with disabilities who benefit from structured, supportive daytime services. Her work reflects a strong commitment to collaboration, often bridging relationships between public officials, media outlets, and private sector partners to highlight and sustain community initiatives. She is known for her ability to navigate dynamic opportunities from local partnerships to unexpected national interest while ensuring recognition is shared among all stakeholders. Driven by a service-oriented philosophy, Cheri remains focused on elevating community voices, strengthening partnerships, and presenting impactful work in ways that attract continued support and long-term sustainability.
• California State University, Fresno - MA, Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• California State University, Fresno - BA, English Language and Literature, General
• Women of the Year 2025
• Volunteer Service Award
• United States of America Freedom Corps/National Community Service
• NACADA (National Assoc. for College Admission Counselors)
• California Center for Non-Profits
• Corporation for National Community Service
• Fresno Cultural Arts District
• National Assoc. of Higher Ed. Consortium Leadership
• Central Valley Latina Womans Assoc.
• Faculty Mentoring Program, CSU Fresno
• Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Fresno
• WACAC
• Bullard TALENT PTA
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Beautify Fresno Community Cleanup
• McLean High School Alumni Support
• Back-to-School Backpack and Laptop Program with AT&T
• Scholar Athlete Letterman Jacket Fundraising
• Counselor -
Naomi House
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my 20-year career in education and nonprofit work, including my current role at the Fresno Center where I focus on partnership development, community relations, and PR efforts. Being a first-generation college graduate myself has deeply shaped my work and passion. My most notable achievement is the Adversity Scholarship program I developed to help underrepresented youth pursue college goals. We really focus on those students that show a lot of potential but maybe haven't been the higher echelon GPA in their school and might get missed. I've always had a heart for those students that just need a little push, and with that, they're able to build confidence about themselves and see themselves with a future. I've been involved with youth mentoring and projects throughout my career, working with those who really need that little bit of encouragement. We look at what kind of resiliency students have shown, because if you can find those that are highly resilient and show potential, they're more likely to be successful down the road. Sharing that resiliency is cathartic for them and allows them to see themselves from a different lens and understand what success really looks like. I'm very passionate about my community, which led to me receiving Woman of the Year from the City of Fresno in 2025.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
You can make the difference and make an impact in the lives of others as she supports resilient students who may not have strong academic records but show potential. When asked about her most notable achievement, her long-standing commitment to youth mentoring and college career planning, particularly helping first-generation college students and those from underrepresented backgrounds.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is simple: you can, and you will. Never give up when things get difficult, because this work requires resilience, patience, and heart. Keep moving forward, stay focused on your purpose, and trust that every challenge is shaping you into a stronger, more capable professional.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is the growing and ongoing need in the community and the desire to help every individual who seeks support. Working in a nonprofit environment means addressing complex issues such as housing insecurity, food access, mental health, and educational equity, often with limited resources. At the same time, there are meaningful opportunities to create impact through collaboration, including partnerships with organizations like AT&T to provide students with backpacks, laptops, and school supplies valued at approximately $250 per student annually, as well as involvement with education-focused organizations and youth programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters that help expand long-term support for families and children.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being able to make a difference in my local community is most important to me. I'm very involved in my role at the Fresno Center, a community nonprofit organization in Fresno, where I focus on community relations, partnership development, and outreach efforts including food distribution and social media management. I think it's really important to have a brand and not be embarrassed or shy about talking about it, but my point is to use that to my advantage for a lot of my community work. I'm always looking to open doors so I can hopefully find synergy with organizations that might want to fund efforts I'm involved in, or might be attracted to partnering, whether that means grant writing together, donations, or just rallying troops and getting boots on the ground. I want to use my platform to showcase the work in a way that's attractive to funders and others so we can keep the momentum going. I'm a local Valley girl, and while I enjoy traveling outside my area, I'm always drawn back home. I just see such a purpose here for me. Understanding my community and having a lot of connections and contacts here has allowed me to be very effective in moving things forward where we see disparities and opportunities align. That's where my sweet spot is.