Lydia Coutré
Star News Online

WILMINGTON | Gov. Pat McCrory has appointed a Wilmington resident to serve on the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Cheryl Powell was born with cerebral palsy, but said her family "did not treat me like I was born with a disability." She serves on several boards and is considered a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional and a Qualified Developmental Disabilities Professional, according to a news release. She has a degree in social work from the University of North Carolina Wilminton and worked for Easter Seals UCP NC/VA as a Community Resources Trainer for seven years supporting individuals with disabilities on their jobs.

Powell would like to see the 40-member council lead the way in making a significant increase in people with disabilities who are employed in careers instead of low-paying jobs.

"I hope that others will learn from my time on the Council that when you speak up for yourself and others, you become a part of the positive changes and outcomes," Powell said in the release.

The original article appeared in Star News Online on April 10, 2015.