Cheryl L. Hershey: Director of Civil Rights

Cheryl L. Hershey is Director for Civil Rights as well as the Chief Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officer for FTA.  She is responsible for oversight of recipients of FTA funding ensuring their compliance with Federal civil rights laws, regulations, and program requirements.  These include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the Department's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. 

A graduate of Wittenberg University of Springfield, Ohio with a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore Law School, Ms. Hershey has extensive government experience working at the Federal, State and County level. She joined FTA as the ADA Team Leader in 1998 and served in that capacity for eight years followed by two years with FTA’s Office of Program Management as Chief of Program Guidance.

Prior to joining FTA, she prosecuted criminal cases for ten years as a Maryland Assistant State’s Attorney in Washington and Frederick Counties. As a Disability Rights Attorney with the Maryland Disability Law Center she represented persons with disabilities for three years.

Ms. Hershey and the Office of Civil Rights are dedicated to ensuring your civil rights, and contributing to improvement of public transportation for America’s communities.