C. I. Jerez

Dr. Cherisa “C. I.” Jerez is a Latina author whose debut novel, At the Island's Edge, was published in 2025. Born in Hialeah, Florida and raised near the U.S.–Mexico border in El Paso, she draws on her Irish, Puerto Rican, and Cuban heritage in her work. Jerez served as a signal officer in the U.S. Army (commissioned 2005) and rose to the rank of Major before transitioning to the reserves. She holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso, an MBA from Webster University, and a Doctorate in International Business from Liberty University. When not writing she serves as co-founder and vice president of Ashire Technologies & Services, Inc., and lives in Central Florida.