Cheri Yecke is a conservative politician in the United States who has been involved in attempts to have creationism taught in science classes. She holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Hawaii, a master's of science degree in teaching from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Virginia.

Yecke served on the Virginia State Board of Education under Governor George Allen and then was Virginia’s Deputy Secretary of Education and Secretary of Education (2001-2002] under Governor Jim Gilmore. She also served as the Director of Teacher Quality and Public School Choice at the U.S. Department of Education for the Bush administration , during which time she was detailed to the White House as a senior advisor for USA Freedom Corps. Yecke then became the Commissioner of Education for the State of Minnesota for Governor Tim Pawlenty .