#310: Turning a Foster Care Past Into Purpose and Advocacy - Dr. Sherri Raftery

[32:22] What does it take to turn a difficult past into an opportunity to help others? Dr. Sherri Raftery, a college professor, six-time Distinguished Toastmaster and former foster youth, joins host Greg Gazin to share how her experiences shaped her passion for education, mentorship and advocating for young people in foster care.

Growing up in foster care, Sherri attended 15 different schools. Despite those challenges, she pursued higher education, eventually earning a doctorate. Along the way, she found herself asking a powerful question: “Where's the other 99% of us?” That question helped inspire her research into mentorship programs for foster youth pursuing higher education.

Sherri also shares how Toastmasters, which she joined in 2005, helped her grow as a communicator and leader, giving her greater confidence to share her experiences and strengthen her advocacy.

Listeners will also hear:

• Why Sherri chose to embrace her foster care experiences rather than leave them behind.
• How mentors, education and perseverance helped shape her journey.
• How Shirley Temple, theatre and stand-up comedy influenced her development.
• How Toastmasters helped her share difficult personal experiences without letting emotion overwhelm her message.
• What it meant to be honoured by The Home for Little Wanderers before an audience of approximately 900 people.
• How her involvement with Toastmasters prison clubs connects with her advocacy work.
• Why earning her sixth Distinguished Toastmaster designation was especially meaningful.
• Her advice for overcoming difficult experiences, finding mentors and making a difference in others' lives.

Sherri's journey reminds us that our past doesn't have to define our limits. Sometimes, the experiences that challenge us most can become the foundation for helping others build a better future.

Related article: Using Her Past to Impact Others’ Futures by Stephanie Darling, Toastmaster magazine, September 2026.

About Dr. Sherri Raftery

Dr. Sherri Raftery is a college professor and public speaker, teaching communication and speech at two Massachusetts colleges. She's also a court-appointed advocate and nonprofit volunteer for foster youth and speaks to community and child-welfare audiences about the challenges they face.

She holds an EDD in Higher Education Leadership and an M.Ed. in Arts & Learning from Endicott College, and a B.S. in Theater, Performance & Communications from Emerson College.

She is also a performer, artist, published poet, mother and grandmother.

A Toastmaster since 2005, Sherri has served a term as District 31 Governor and earned numerous speaking and leadership honours, including being a six Distinguished Toastmaster, Area Governor of the Year and Toastmaster of the Year. She also placed second in the District 31 International Speech Contest in 2022.

A fun fact about Sherri: she's ambidextrous and crochets blankets for foster babies in her spare time.

Sherri lives near Boston, Massachusetts and can be reached at sherri.raftery01@gmail.com or Google her to find her on socials.