Cynthia Carswell
Cynthia “Cyndi” Carswell is a seasoned administrative professional with more than three decades of experience in the healthcare and insurance industry. She has spent her career at Cigna, where she began as a receptionist in 1991 and steadily grew into a trusted administrative and office management role supporting sales teams, accountants, and customers. Through on-the-job training and internal development, Cyndi built deep institutional knowledge and a reputation for reliability, adaptability, and steady professionalism.
At the heart of Cyndi’s work is a deeply personal commitment to service. She is known for taking the extra time to guide customers through complex processes such as claims issues, billing questions, and account changes—often sitting side by side with people who feel overwhelmed or unheard. Her approach is grounded in empathy and advocacy, shaped by early experiences in government roles and a belief that small acts of care can make a meaningful difference. For Cyndi, success isn’t measured by speed, but by whether someone leaves feeling helped, understood, and supported.
Beyond her professional role, Cyndi is an active volunteer and community advocate. She has dedicated many years to organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, and she serves in leadership and service capacities through her church and nonprofit work. In 2024, she added “author” to her list of accomplishments with the publication of Dear Harriet, a milestone she views as another way to reach people and offer encouragement. Across every chapter of her life, Cynthia brings consistency, compassion, and a quiet strength that leaves a lasting impact on those she serves.
• American Society of Administrative Professionals
• University of Phoenix- Associate's
• Sawyer College of Business
• Numa Life Foundation (Secretary)
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving
• Greater Cleveland Food Bank
• NUMA Life Foundation
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of persistence, education, and opportunity—especially the on-site training and classes my employer, Cigna, invested in me over the years. Just as important has been my willingness to show up fully for people, take the extra time to help, and turn challenges into purpose rather than obstacles.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to new hires coming into this field: get yourself connected with a seasoned employee who's been here, been through it, and can help guide you. A company like ours doesn't always have a person on board that can hold your hand, but if you can find someone and get connected with them, I think that will make the transition into a new position much smoother. There's a lot of fear when you start a new job and the people aren't friendly and you don't know who to go to - it's almost like internal customer service. Find your mentee and let them mentor you into your career if this is what you want and you plan to stay. The transition, as I said, will be a smooth transition if you have that guidance.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in my field are constant changes in the insurance landscape, increasing claims complexity, and the reality that newer employees don’t always have hands-on guidance. At the same time, this creates opportunities to strengthen mentorship, improve internal customer service, and refocus on advocacy—for both clients and the broader community.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important thing to me is being a beacon for others and helping people in my community. I don't focus so much on the brand or the book, but more on what can I do to be a beacon in the people that I surround myself with - how can I help? I want to be around strong women who want to help others, and when I go around these women, my chest is stuck out because I'm rubbing shoulders with people that want to help others. That's so important to me. My grandmother was that type of person - we called her the Pied Piper of the projects. She cared about children, she cared if you ate, and she would feed people. I strive to be like Granny Mildred because she has so much respect from where we live and in our church. I'm focused on what can I be - a help in the community and in my church and family.