Her Story
About Cynthia
I've been a dietitian for almost 30 years, and for the past two and a half years, I've been working in sales and training. I do sales and product use training for Simply Thick, which is the number one product in its class on the market. It's a thickening agent for people with swallowing disorders. I train facilities on how to use it both in liquids and in foods, teaching texture-modified diets. Training is really my biggest achievement because I've trained a lot of people over the years - not just individuals in clinical settings, but also employees and the general public. Every week I'm training different people, multiple times a week, on how to use food in a therapeutic setting. I'm licensed and registered, and registration is a certification that is specific for dietitians and required to use the term dietitian in the United States.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cynthia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my upbringing. I grew up on a farm in the panhandle of Texas, and my mother was very adamant that her children have an education of some sort. She taught us to be strong, independent women who weren't afraid to get an education. I'm the baby of nine children, and six of my older siblings are women, so I grew up in a household that valued education and independence.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to pass it forward. To pass the knowledge that you have to others, whether it's upcoming students straight out of the field, which I still do today, or if it's the person that you're training that day. Take your knowledge and pass it along.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to venture out and try new things. Don't be afraid to step out of the box and not just keep things absolutely traditional. You have to tailor everything to the individuals that you are working with, and so being able to think outside the box really helps you get your point across to people.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In my field, I would say people's resistance to change is the biggest challenge right now.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are honesty, integrity, human decency, and happiness.
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