Cheryl Houk served as the Executive Director of Stepping Stone of San Diego, Inc. (one of five LGBT specific recovery homes in California) for 17 years from 1989 to 2006.  During that time she increased the agency’s annual funding from $125,000 to $2 million per year, increased the staffing from 3 to 27, added five new programs and two transitional living housing programs, raised $2.6 million in a capital building campaign, oversaw the construction and completion of the new $2.6 million state-of-the-art residential facility, and wrote several successful County proposals and foundation grant applications.  The new residential facility completed in 2000 became a model facility in the State of California and won several awards for its design. 

Ms. Houk also spearheaded the first efforts to successfully bring in HIV/AIDS funding to Stepping Stone, which enabled the agency to provide improved services to LGBT people needing recovery from alcohol and drugs.  She served on a number of committees, some of which include the HIV/AIDS Planning Council, the Joint HIV/AIDS Housing Committee, the Methamphetamine Strike Force, and the State of California Alcohol and Drug Programs LGBT Constituent Committee.  Ms. Houk now resides in Palm Springs with her long-time partner of 25 years, Patty, and two small dogs, Addison and Sadie.