Her Story
About Cheri
Cheri Mahan is a special education author whose work stems from her personal advocacy for her son during his freshman year at Weston High School. She documented every detail of the challenges faced with the school's administration over IEP and special education matters in her book, They Picked the Wrong Mother, which took seven years to complete and includes resources for other parents. Motivated by these experiences, she is establishing the Wrong Mother Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to provide parents with tools, information, and support while working to change laws that currently limit parental rights in such disputes. Previously a real estate agent in the Weston, Massachusetts area, she stepped back from that career to focus on her son's education and football commitments at schools including one in Burlington. Her efforts are driven by a desire to ensure no other family endures similar struggles, and she has volunteered in the past as a team mom and with football boosters.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cheri
01What do you attribute your success to?
My children, 100%. No family should ever have to go through what I went through, or my son. No one should ever. It's awful.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's not traditional anymore. If you've got something that you're passionate about, put your heart into it. Do your research, do it for the best that you can do for your knowledge, and then build that. There's no 9 to 5, it's just not hopefully going to diminish over time. If you have that passion, don't let it go.
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