About Cherie

Welcome to South Salt Lake!

South Salt Lake's first female Mayor, Cherie Wood was elected to office in 2010. As a third-generation, lifelong resident of South Salt Lake, Cherie attended its public schools and graduated from Granite High School. After graduation, at the age of 19, she started working for the city, moving her way up through several different departments and positions on her way to becoming Deputy Mayor under Mayor Bob Gray all while earning her college degrees and raising her family.

Cherie fully learned the ins and outs of how a city is managed and earned the respect of city employees, and then realized she had what it takes to run a city and be the leader her community needed. She took office as a mom, raising young boys in the midst of a recession, and during the controversial closing of Granite High School. She could clearly see that change was needed and that the future would indeed be much different from the past. She launched several comprehensive initiatives and partnerships that have strengthened and fundamentally reshaped the City of South Salt Lake, of these, Promise South Salt Lake, an initiative that invests in youth and families, has become her proudest legacy.

Mayor Wood's motto, "What I wish for myself and my family, I wish for everyone in my community" exemplifies her approach. She simply cares. She has prioritized initiatives and projects that make a difference in everyday lives, proving that true leaders are compassionate and committed. A closer look at programs created under her leadership and their outcomes speak for themselves.

Education

  • B.S. Business Management, 2007, University of Phoenix
  • B.S. Business Administration, 2007, University of Phoenix
  • Graduate of Granite High School, 1991

Awards & Recognition

  • Best of State Elected Official: South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood, 2012 and 2013
  • 100 Best Communities in America for Youth to Live, Learn and Grow by America's Promise Alliance, 2012
  • Community Development Award, National Association for County Community and Economic Development, 2012
  • Top 15 U.S. Department of Education 21st Century Afterschool Programs in the U.S., Hser Ner Moo Center
  • Top Citywide Afterschool Program Model in Utah, Utah Afterschool Network
  • University of Phoenix National Icon: Mayor Cherie Wood 2011
  • 30 Women to Watch: Mayor Cherie Wood, Utah Business Magazine, 2011
  • Worker's Advocate Award: Mayor Cherie Wood, Utah AFL-CIO, 2013
  • United Way of Salt Lake's Change Maker 2016
  • Utah Philanthropy Day - Lt. Governor's Public Service Award 2018
  • United Way of Salt Lake, Power of Your Purse, Keynote Speaker, May 23, 2022

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