Cheryl Martin Ede grew up in Joplin, Missouri.  She graduated from Jasper County Junior College (the current Missouri Southern State University) and the University of Arkansas, where she earned a B.S.E., majoring in social sciences. 

She applied for and was accepted to the Peace Corps, and explored the requirements to become a foreign service officer.  Instead, she chose to teach history in the Houston public schools. 

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On Memorial Day in 1966, the end of her first year of teaching, the young man she loved became an MIA.  This personal loss, along with the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy led her to a more introspective career path.  Perhaps most of the country was depressed, angry or both in the 1960's.  Whereas she had begun a master's program in history at the University of Houston, she switched to a master's program in guidance and counseling, after moving back to Missouri to be closer to her family.  Cheryl earned her M.S. in counseling and guidance from Southwest Missouri State University, and Ed.D. in student personnel and guidance, with a major in counseling psychology, from Oklahoma State University.  Though she changed her focus to psychology, she paid close attention to decisions made by leaders of the U.S.  One might say she was ready for George W. Bush.  She did not fall for his preemptive war, knowing that presidents of both political parties, comforted by their rationalizations, can and do lie to the American people.  As Congresswoman from the 50th district, Cheryl will not lose sight of the fact that "collateral damage" often includes the death of individuals.  No person is exchangeable, and this will be bedrock when facing tough decisions. Our fine young men and women in uniform should not be asked to put their lives on the line unless it is for the defense of our country.

After moving to San Diego in 1975, Cheryl worked at the San Diego County Office of Education in mental health and special education programs.  While completing the supervised clinical psychology experience required to sit for the California licensing exam in psychology, she worked half-time as a contracted school psychologist in the Del Mar Elementary School District.  After receiving her psychology license, she worked in private practice in Hillcrest and then La Jolla for twenty years, while working part-time as a school psychologist in the Encinitas Elementary and Chula Vista Elementary School Districts.  During these years, Cheryl continued her professional training.  She graduated from the San Diego Psychoanalytic Society and Institute's three-year program in Adult Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, concurrently while completing her personal psychoanalysis, and then graduated from the SDPSI's two-year program in Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. 

In 2000, Cheryl ended her private practice to become a full-time employee of the San Diego Unified School District as a school psychologist.  In the spring of 2005, Cheryl was elected as the Association Representative for the San Diego Education Association's school psychologists, and is completing her third year as the AR.  Since the fall of 2005, Cheryl has been a senior psychologist in the SDUSD, with leadership responsibilities for district school psychologists, in addition to working as a school psychologist in various schools.   Her assignments have included elementary, middle, and high school assignments; she currently is the psychologist for Mark Twain High School, an alternative high school. 

Being a psychologist uniquely qualifies Cheryl for Congress.  In the spirit of diversity, her psychologist/social scientist perspective will be a welcome addition to the numerous attorney-perspectives already represented in Congress.  The years of personal treatment, so that personal issues are resolved and do not interfere with helping clients, contribute to her ability to deal with information without being overwhelmed by grief or anger.  This is necessary to face, for example, the truth of what Iraqi citizens have endured since the U.S. invasion of their country.  As a school psychologist, she is aware of the prevalent problem of bullying behavior in our schools, and has worked to educate students about how they can deal assertively to stop this behavior and promote a friendlier school culture.  Bullying tactics are the same, whether perpetrated by an 8-year-old or a 58-year-old.  Cheryl anticipates this behavior may be demonstrated at times in Congress.  She recognizes bullying and intimidation tactics, and has the emotional stamina to deal appropriately with them.  Just as important is her experience in our public schools.  This has provided Cheryl with an inside view of the problems facing many students, their families and our country, including violence in our communities and homes, drugs and gangs, lack of health care, illegal immigration and financial struggles.

Cheryl is fortunate to have been born into her family, reflected by the recent photo with her sister, Pam Evans of San Diego, and her father and mother, Rodney and Juanita Martin of Joplin.  Fortune shined upon her again in 1988 when she met her husband, Terry Ede, who was retired from a 22-year career in the navy, with 703 arrested landings on aircraft carriers flying A-4's and A-7's.  His plaque at the Mt. Soledad War Memorial states:  "Air Medal with Combat "V" and 8 Strike/Flight Awards, Commendation with Combat "V" and 2 Stars, Combat Action, Meritorious Unit Commendation with 1 Star, Expeditionary, National Defense Service, Vietnam Service, Sea Service Deployment, Vietnam Campaign.  Terry's air and commendation medals were earned for heroic achievement in combat." In 1992, they married and she inherited a stepson, Michael Ede.  Her greatest regret is not having children of her own.  The next best thing--two wonderful nieces, Gina Noble of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Kelsa Brown of Neosho, Missouri.  Being great aunt to Gina's Braxton, and Kelsa's Chase, Branon and Bailee is pretty special, too.  Her second greatest regret is not having the courage at age 21 to become a Peace Corps volunteer and teach English as a second language in Africa.  Terry and Cheryl Ede live in Pacific Beach with their dog Mikala, and cats Cisco and Pancho.