Cheryl Stone, a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, serves as the Tribal Director for the Wilton Rancheria Courts. In this role, she is responsible for management of all administrative tasks, court calendars, and managing court staff. With over twenty years of experience in court management, Cheryl has dedicated her career to developing court systems that promote the best outcomes for communities.
Cheryl currently serves on the Board for the National Association of Court Management and holds the position of Chair of the Membership Committee. Additionally, she is a member of several other organizations, including the National American Indian Court Judges Association, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, and the National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executives.
Cheryl holds a degree in Business Administration, with a specialization in accounting. She has also earned certifications as a Court Manager and Court Executive through the Institute of Court Management. Additionally, Cheryl successfully completed the Fellowship program at the same institute. She values continued learning and looks for other certifications that help keep informed about best practices and trends.
Over the course of her two-decade career in court systems, Cheryl has held various roles across different jurisdictions. Her experience includes working at the Office of the State Court Administrator in Salem, Oregon, as well as municipal court executive positions with both the City of Eugene and the City of Salem in Oregon. Additionally, she held Court Administrator positions at the state court level in general jurisdiction courts in Benton County, Oregon, and Clark County, Washington.
Cheryl’s journey to becoming a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management involved publishing a paper. She has also made significant contributions, such as participating in podcasts, leading numerous training sessions and conferences, and serving as a keynote speaker. However, her proudest achievement is the planning, creation, and implementation of the Eugene Community Court in Eugene, Oregon.