Cheri Chafin Garcia

Cheri Chafin Garcia is a nationally-recognized recovery advocate, investor, and expert in second-chance hiring. She consults with companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations on second-chance hiring and Human Resources initiatives. As a keynote speaker, she has given memorable presentations at events including the National Returning Citizens Conference, the Iron Light Labs Nashville Summit, the AllianceTexas Women in Business Conference, and a TEDx Talk in San Francisco.

For more than a decade, Cheri has worked to help formerly incarcerated people and those in recovery find meaningful full-time jobs. In 2016, she created Cornbread Hustle, Inc., the first staffing agency focused on second-chance job opportunities. Cornbread Hustle has placed more than 2,500 eager workers in jobs around North Texas and the U.S.

In 2021, Cheri was recognized as Social Innovator of the Year by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. She was named to the D CEO Magazine 40 Under 40 list that year. Other honors include recognition in the Texas House of Representatives, a cover story in the September 2023 issue of D CEO, and the 2024 HR Executive of the Year - Small Company award from DallasHR.

In 2022, Cheri created the 12-Week Starting Over Program, an interactive video series available to inmates in prisons nationwide.

In 2024, Cheri invested six figures of her own money to launch Junk Hustlers, LLC, a junk removal and hauling company powered by Cornbread Hustle. Through this enterprise, Cheri aims to provide even more background-friendly jobs for people with criminal backgrounds, in Texas and nationwide.

Cheri unashamedly shares her struggles with addiction to methamphetamine and alcohol, and how she overcame these challenges to serve and inspire others. She has been featured in numerous media stories, including an appearance on The Steve Harvey Show.

Cheri is also an investor in recovery-focused businesses owned by people who have overcome their own addiction issues.