Athletic Director

Hugh M. Cummings High School

Dr. Cherie Pettiford is a servant-leader who has transformed Cummings athletics by building a culture of communication and student-centered leadership that has produced 21 state playoff appearances, four team state championships, and eight individual state champions. She created comprehensive player/parent and coaches handbooks, rebuilt the athletic boosters, and secures transportation, resources, and academic support so that all student-athletes—many from a majority Black and brown, lower-socioeconomic community—have equitable access to opportunities. In addition to running the athletic department, she drives morning and afternoon bus routes, teaches and coaches multiple sports, and mentors current and former student-athletes, even helping them return as coaches to serve the next generation.

A certified athletic director with a doctorate in sports and business management, Dr. Pettiford leads with integrity, viewing athletics as a calling to change lives rather than a pathway to personal recognition.