Cynthia (Cynt) Marshall Keynote Speaker

CEO, Dallas Mavericks
The first African-American woman to lead an NBA team
Named one of Adweek’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports

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Cynthia (Cynt) Marshall's Biography

Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall, a dynamic speaker and advocate for inclusion and diversity, embarked on a culture transformation journey as the Mavs CEO in March 2018. Her vision was to make the Mavericks an inclusion and diversity standard within the NBA. During her first 100 days, she instilled transparency, trust, and her values-based leadership style.

Prior to joining the Mavs, Cynt founded Marshalling Resources, a consulting firm specializing in leadership, diversity, inclusion, and culture transformation. She worked with The Dow Chemical Company to develop an inclusive culture strategy.

During her illustrious career at AT&T, Cynt rose to Senior Vice President – Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer. There, she identified leaders. She aligned employees with the company’s vision and led initiatives in employee engagement, skills transformation, EEO, and Affirmative Action. Marshall crafted a world-class Diversity and Inclusion culture, earning AT&T a top 3 spot on Diversity Inc’s 2017 Top 50 list. She also secured a place on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list in 2017.

Cynt’s journey at AT&T started as a young Officer. It included roles such as President-AT&T North Carolina. In that role, she became the first African-American chair of the North Carolina State Chamber of Commerce.

Recognized for her visionary leadership, Cynt received numerous honors. Among them were Adweek’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports and the 2019 Women of Power Legacy Award by Black Enterprise. She was honored as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Business by The Network Journal in 2017. In the same year, she received the ATHENA Leadership Program Award.

A graduate of the University of California-Berkeley, Cynt holds degrees in Business Administration and Human Resources Management. She also holds four honorary Doctorate degrees. She actively serves on the boards of Dallas CASA, Dallas Regional Chamber, and Texas Women’s Foundation, and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC).

Born in Richmond, California, Cynt resides in the Dallas area with her husband, Kenneth Marshall, and has four adult children.

Leading with Heart

During this session, Cynt Marshall will talk about her life and role as SVP of HR and Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T, her move to CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, her strategy for values-based leadership, and why putting people first matters the most. She’ll also share the difference between diversity and inclusion, why both are important for success, and why HR is the heart of any organization. Cynt’s vibrant attitude and enthusiasm for her job is contagious, and she’ll have you dancing by the time the 45 minutes are up.

You've Been Chosen: Thriving Through the Unexpected

One of the most influential Black business leaders in America today, Cynt Marshall offers hope and practical guidance for navigating life’s most difficult challenges. Having spent her entire life beating personal and professional odds, Cynt is passionate about showing everyone she meets how they are uniquely equipped to thrive.

Cynt shares “the good, the great, the bad, and the ugly parts” of her journey through cancer and everything that led up to it. Demonstrating her deep faith and positivity, she inspires audiences and encourages them to believe that even their hardest battles were chosen for them - and that they will ultimately bring them to where they are supposed to be.