Cheryl Lynn Allen

Cheryl Lynn Allen became the first African-American woman to be elected to the Pennsylvania Superior Court, in 2007. A Pittsburgh native and former Pittsburgh public school teacher, Judge Allen is a graduate of Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She spent fifteen years practising law before earning a merit selection appointment to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, in 1990. She was elected to a ten-year term in 1991, and retained in 2001 for a second ten-year term.
Judge Allen is a founding member of Women Without Walls (WWW), a ministry whose mission is to promote unity among women from varied cultural and denominational backgrounds. She serves on the Juvenile Court Judges Commission and on boards including the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation, Hosanna House, and Cornerstone Television. She is a Waynesburg University Trustee and a former board member of Child Watch and Court Appointment Special Advocates (CASA).
In 2015, Allen rann unsuccessfully for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and retired from the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

Awards and honors

• New Pittsburgh Courier’s Women of Excellence Award, 2008
• The Legal Intelligencer & Pennsylvania Law Weekly Women of the Year, 2008
• Camp Fire USA Incredible Kid Day Breakfast of Champions, 2008
• Celebrate & Share Woman of Achievement Honor Award, 2008
• Three Rivers Youth Nellie Leadership Award, 2006
• Greater Pittsburgh YWCA, Tribute to Women Award, 2006
• Pennsylvania Commission for Women, Woman's History Month Award, 2005
• Juvenile Court Judges Commission Award, 2004
• Allegheny County Bar Association, Juvenile Justice Award, 2004
• CASA Volunteer Recognition Award, 2004
• Second Chance Inc., Women of Standard Award, 2004
• University of Pittsburgh, Women's Law Association, Woman of the Year, 2002
• University of Pittsburgh, Alumni of the Year, 1999