Meet Cynthia Marshall, 100 Gardens Secretary of the Board of Directors. Cynthia brings a sharp eye, attention to detail, and relentless energy to the team. She has worked with the team since the first 100 Gardens aquaponics system was built in Haiti.
Cynthia earned her M.S. in Science and Biology at the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A. with honors at UNCG. Her industry sector experience includes work in education, non profit leadership, mentorship, and resource development.
Providing expertise in both schools and non-profit organizations, Cynthia served as the Founding Executive Director at Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg for 21 years. Along with supporting program development and leveraging community resources for students, she has published research papers regarding college preparation and career awareness as a coordinated dropout prevention strategy, as well as a manual for advancing service learning in N.C. She has served on more than 6 non profit boards in Charlotte, as president and/or a founding member. Cynthia has garnered numerous accolades, including being named the Charlotte Woman of the Year in 1988, the Order of the Longleaf Pine by N.C. Governor Jim Hunt in 2000, the Charlotte Junior League Sustainer of the Year in 2001, and the Women in Business Achievement Award in 2005.
While providing 100 Gardens with fundraising, planning, administrative advice, and big-picture thinking, Cynthia also pushes the team to be their best. She is known for her insightful questions and putting forth challenges to the team to grow the 100 Garden’s impact. Cynthia lives in Charlotte with her husband, Tom Marshall, who is a senior lecturer at UNCC in Finance. She enjoys rose gardening and traveling, as well as serving on the boards of Communities In Schools of North Carolina and LeaderComm in Alexandria, Va.