Born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Cynthia Figueroa is a prominent figure with a history steeped in cultural diversity. Her parents, a Honduran and a Cuban American, met while volunteering for the Peace Corps in Puerto Rico. Cynthia’s mother, who grew up in poverty and faced abuse, led the family to immigrate to Miami, Florida, when Cynthia was just five, seeking better opportunities.
The migration of her parents and her mother’s struggles to enhance their family life profoundly shaped Cynthia’s path. Since then, she has dedicated her life to applying her knowledge and talents to serve economically and socially marginalized communities.
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
Since February 2022, Cynthia has been the President and CEO of JEVS Human Services, becoming the first Latina to hold this position. Her experience, talent, and charisma have significantly impacted the organization and those it serves.
Motivated by the opportunities her family found in the U.S., Cynthia is on a mission to open possibilities for others, especially migrants and, in her recent work, specifically refugees.
Proud of her Hispanic roots, Cynthia, who travels to the «Island of Enchantment» whenever possible, acknowledges that her personal history has deeply influenced her professional life. «Thanks to my parents and how they raised me, I began to realize that everyone should have access to the opportunities I had,» she expresses.
Cynthia met her husband in Michigan, where he was transferred for work to Philadelphia. They have been based in the city for over 25 years. She has made her mark in various non-profit and governmental organizations in the city.
ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC SERVICE
Cynthia served as the Executive Director of Women Against Abuse and worked at the Congreso de Latinos Unidos, an organization she was involved with for almost two decades, leading as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2011-2016.
Under Mayor Jim Kenney’s leadership, she headed the Department of Human Services (DHS) and worked at the City Hall as the head of the Office of Children and Families (OCF) in Philadelphia. Social justice has been fundamental in Cynthia’s professional and personal journey, a crucial part of her identity.
She co-led the mayor’s special initiative to address institutional racism, focusing on police reform, community engagement, and inclusive economics. She also directed the emergency responses to COVID-19, including Access Centers for the Philadelphia School District and citywide food distribution.
Despite the satisfaction from her government service, Cynthia notes, «As a public servant, your responsibility to ensure service delivery meets the needs of the people. Even when you do more or better, it never seems enough, though there should always be urgency to meet the public’s needs.»
With a strong sense of justice, one of her priorities is to ensure that women’s voices and other communities are heard and represented.
Cynthia believes that when in a leadership position and a public servant, one must remain open to criticism. «No matter how well you think you’re doing, you have to truly listen and acknowledge that you can do even more to improve it.»
PROMISING CHANGES
Despite facing a challenging path of advocating for groups that have been economically and socially marginalized, Cynthia believes that leaders, both in non-profit organizations and government, are driving significant changes. «There’s an evolution; before, the higher you went in leadership, the fewer women you found. But all that has changed. Now there’s a lot of female leadership in Philadelphia, with many women leading Latino agencies. I am proud to be a Latina leader in an agency that serves not only Latinos but the entire city.»
The values of JEVS were a major attraction for her to lead this prestigious organization with over 2,000 employees. Her goal is to give it more visibility in the Hispanic community and develop a strategic growth plan for the entire agency.
«JEVS is not exclusively to serve the Latino community, but the agency knew the number of Latinos we were serving, and that number was growing, as well as the number of African Americans we support,» she emphasized.
For Cynthia, the interest shown by Philadelphia’s new mayor, Cherelle Parker, in Kensington means she is genuinely willing to listen to the stories of local families. Everyone deserves clean, safe spaces that support communities to thrive. They all await decisive intervention from authorities and a response with an interdisciplinary focus, crucial for bringing about fundamental changes.
«After Covid, and after George Floyd’s murder, there was a lot of tension in the air. It seemed like a racial reckoning; there was a lot of hatred, much pain and suffering. And then COVID affected people emotionally. So, I became aware that I didn’t want to be just a symbol but someone who goes into the field, rolls up their sleeves, and gets to work.»
Cynthia is aware that Philadelphia faces significant challenges, but she firmly believes that the new administration will take seriously addressing the city’s most urgent challenges. «My joy and optimism for the new mayor are not so much because she is the first woman or the first African American in that position, but because she is the best prepared for this task among all the candidates,» she asserts.
Cynthia was part of the transition teams for Governor Josh Shapiro and Mayor Cherelle Parker. She has received recognition for her leadership and professional achievements, including numerous awards and honors, such as being honored as a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania by Governor Wolf and named among Pennsylvania’s 50 Most Distinguished People by City & State.
