Financial Advisor

Dr. Mariette Cheatam is a Goodwill Ambassador in the promotion of quality education and training for at-risk children and youth all over the world. She has worked in the accounting and finance profession for over 20 years. Since 2009, she has operated her own cost consulting firm. At present she works as a consultant for DLH Danya in review of financial competencies for recipients of grants from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Cheatam works simultaneously for the not-for-profit No Child’s Dream Deferred. No Child’s Dream Deferred NFP serves at-promise populations in the Chicago metropolitan area; where currently serving as Chief Executive Officerin theadvisement of board member management on a variety of program organizational issues. In addition, she works to build partnership learning experiences between sub-Saharan African at-risk populations and at-risk populations here in the USA. Prior to 2009, she held various positions in the North Chicago Public School system. There she served as Chief Financial Officer, Sr. Financial Analyst and Director of Payroll Services. As Chief Financial Officer, she managed a $53 million dollar budget, acted as the district treasurer, restructured the district debt ratio to earn a higher bond rating for borrowing advantages, structured banking to maximize district cost savings and investment earnings, managed the district asset portfolio, represented the district before federal and state committees. Prior to joining the North Chicago Public School District, she worked in the chemical industry as a senior cost analyst for Angus ChemicalCompany(now a subsidiary of Dow Chemical)of Buffalo Grove, IL and MallinckrodtVeterinary, Inc. (now Schering-Plough) of Mundelein, IL.  She holds a BS in business administration from the University of the State of New York (Albany, NY), an MBA from Webster University (St. Louis, MO) and an EdD from Illinois State University (Bloomington/Normal, IL) with a specialty in education finance. In addition, she is a 15-year delegate for a Sub-Saharan African foundation, and a financial advisor for Trees for Kenya NGO (Nairobi, Kenya).