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Cheryl  Volkman  Knight

About Cheryl

Cheryl  Volkman  Knight

Cheryl Volkman Knight is a true visionary known for her leadership skills, passion for teaching children with disabilities, and entrepreneurial spirit. Born and raised in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, Cheryl was the eldest of eight siblings, which helped her learn how to embrace responsibility, organize time, and appreciate how unique individuals form a family. She had always been driven by a desire to make a positive impact on the world. This led Cheryl to co-found AbleNet, during a time when it was almost impossible for women to hold such a position, especially as a CEO and co-founder. But her determination to create change and improve the lives of children with disabilities worldwide pushed her forward, and she succeeded in making her vision a reality. In addition to her work with AbleNet, Cheryl invented the highly successful Garden Rocker and the Garden Rocker Roller Seat after dealing with pain from gardening in crouched positions. Never being satisfied with unsolved problems, she conceptualized a solution and partnered with two others to convert the design into a product that could be mass manufactured. The inventions were successfully acquired by Vertex International and are sold worldwide. After retiring, Cheryl was encouraged by many to capture the story of AbleNet to empower the next generation of female leaders. Her passion for creation is now expressed through her love for gardening, cooking, photography, and now writing. She divides her time between her homes, one which her grandchildren say is at the end of the road, on the edge of a lake in Palisade, MN, and the other on the beautiful nature coast of Homosassa, Florida.

Watch the 30 year anniversary video of AbleNet’s birth and first 30 years on YouTube.

30 Years Anniversary
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read more about cheryl’s leadership at ableNet

  • Found on the website, March 26, 2022
  • Women in Stem Series: Cheryl Volkman Knight
  • Written by Valerie Lockhart
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  • Found on the Website June 24, 2020
  • How a Lack of Confidence Helped Launch a Multi-Million Dollar Company
  • Written by Mary Keith
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The Garden Rocker and the Garden Rocker Rolling Seat

In 2003 Cheryl, Dianne Goodwin, and Sherry Rovig co-invented the Garden Rocker and the Garden Rocker Rolling Seat to reduce back, knee and joint pain when in crouched positions. The chairs are ergonomically designed with a curved base to provide a full range of motion, a contoured seat and adjustable height. The Garden Rocker Rolling Seat is designed with rollers to keep the chair in an upright position and to roll easily from place to place without standing to change position. The chairs are now sold by Vertex International and available on Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, and other websites where garden products are available.

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What Readers are Saying

Clearly explains her process and commitment



As someone who has been in the Special Education field and working in adaptive communication the same time as AbleNet, I related immensely to Cheryl's detailed and well described story. Unfortunately our paths never crossed until I was out of the Special Education field, but I wished they had. The process is explained so well and detailed for anyone who wants suggestions on starting up a business. Cheryl doesn't sugar coat things and is vey open about successes and learning opportunities. She credits all her team members and makes the story theirs too. Highly recommended

Hi Dee Ho

Must read for women business owners

This book is an amazing story of a passionate woman’s journey through her life’s work of helping the disability community. The author takes you through her unique perspective of working with children with severe disabilities and trying new ways to allow them to communicate. With the help of many charitable people they found a way to help the community in world wide scale. The author takes you through her thought process for all of the major challenges she overcame that I found very inspiring as a woman and a business manager. I would highly recommend this book for entrepreneurs and businesswomen.

Amazon Customer

I really enjoyed this book

Building AbleNet is a very well written, easy to read book about a person who, working in the field she loved, saw a need and pursued it to the end. I was impressed with her compassion for children, her observations while working with them, recognizing that something was needed to help them in some way and her tenacity toward steps to develop a product to fulfill the need.
I was also impressed with all the wonderful people who volunteered to help her in a very long quest to reach this goal. Many of them stayed on and became permanent staff, each having their own strengths which she acknowledges throughout this book. And it was also heartwarming to hear the stories of the children and families whose lives were changed because of a switch.
After reading this book, I want to find out more about their products that help people that are challenged perform simple tasks that give them a sort of freedom and sense of worth they wouldn’t have otherwise.
I want to thank Cheryl Volkman Knight for her very inspiring book about the goodness of people and what can be done when they all work together toward one goal.

Linda

Exciting Business Adventure

In her recently released book on the creation and development of AbleNet, Cheryl has captured the essence of the inspiration, dedication and talent that has made AbleNet the success it is today. Cheryl deserves a very large portion of the credit that is demonstrated by both the market acceptance of AbleNet products and the financial success achieved for the employees, who are the ESOP owners.
I first met Cheryl when she came into my office to explain her original idea and objective, which is now the successful organization it is today. Must admit, much of the thought running through my head was “You’re going to do what?”. But the original ideas have prevailed through the talents she has achieved, plus the hard work and dedication from others that have been attracted into the ideals of the organization.
The book is both the story of an exciting business adventure and a text on how to develop an idea into a successful business, without losing control over the idea, or by taking on excessive financial risk. It is the story of dedication and acquiring the skills that achieve an American Dream.

William C Sproull, PhD

Inspiring and practical

What an amazing memoir and practical description of AbleNet’s team and journey!
Lots of learning and serendipity inspired by creating an environment where everyone can participate. It was well worth the effort Cheryl !

Rachel Wobschall

Supporting the Vision


Building AbleNet is a wonderfully personal journey about starting a company based on a simple idea – empowering all individuals to reach their human potential. The story walks you through the trials, tribulations, and triumphs, but what makes it unique from any other entrepreneurial adventure about a start-up company is the author and co-founder’s ability to see her strengths and limitations during the journey.

Jen Thalhuber - CEO AbleNet

Inspiring and practical


What an amazing memoir and practical description of Ablenet’s team and journey!
Lots of learning and serendipity inspired by creating an environment where everyone can participate. It was well worth the effort Cheryl !

Rachel Wobschall

Exciting Business Adventure


In her recently released book on the creation and development of AbleNet, Cheryl has captured the essence of the inspiration, dedication and talent that has made AbleNet the success it is today. Cheryl deserves a very large portion of the credit that is demonstrated by both the market acceptance of AbleNet products and the financial success achieved for the employees, who are the ESOP owners...

Bill S.

Very interesting and educational


If someone is starting a company. How to build a company from scratch One person found this helpful

Susan Murzyn