Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris is President and Executive Director of Achieve Atlanta, a nonprofit organization that helps Atlanta Public Schools students access, afford, and earn postsecondary credentials. With more than 30 years of experience in education, she has focused her career on strengthening instructional leadership, expanding opportunities for students, and building partnerships that support student success.
Dr. Watson-Harris began her career as a classroom teacher in Brooklyn, New York and later served as a principal for 15 years in Boston Public Schools. She went on to hold leadership roles in both Boston and the New York City Department of Education, where she rose to First Deputy Chancellor in 2018, helping oversee the nation’s largest school district. In 2020, she became Superintendent of DeKalb County School District, Georgia’s third-largest school system.
She holds degrees from Marymount College/Fordham University and Harvard University, as well as a doctorate in Leadership and Innovation from New York University. Originally from New York City, she lives in Metro Atlanta with her husband. They are the proud parents of five children.