Her Story
About Cindy
Cindy Reed is a child welfare consultant and human engagement specialist with over 17 years of experience. A product of the foster care system in Nebraska who aged out, she has built her career on leveraging her experiences to advocate for systems change and ensure that individuals with lived experience have a seat at decision-making tables. Through her own LLC, Cindy works at the national level, partnering with organizations such as the Baker Center based in the New England states, Spalding for Children in Michigan, and JBS International. She focuses on training professionals who work directly with young people to engage them meaningfully and preparing systems to incorporate their input into decision-making. Cindy attributes her drive to her desire to create better outcomes for her own three children and all those served by these systems, emphasizing the importance of feedback loops where systems improve based on the experiences of those they serve.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cindy
01What do you attribute your success to?
The desire to see something better for my kids. It's in spite of they're never gonna experience what I experienced, and because I want so much better for them. And they deserve it. The extension of being a mom makes sense that systems that serve people would ask them if they're doing a good job, and when they find out that they're not, they do something differently based on that feedback.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
No matter what somebody's title is, they're not entitled to your story. As individuals with lived experience, we have to do better at protecting ourselves so that we can be sustained in this work long-term. We don't want to be just the one that they call for the one-off opportunities. We really want to be true partners and solutions, and so we have to do that by being strategic about what, why, and when we share.
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