Cynthia Gertsen joined the Association of the United States Army in March of 2024. She serves as a Senior Program Manager in the Center for Leadership, focusing on the Center’s Army professional development programs.

Cynthia is pursuing an M.A. in Organizational Leadership and Learning from George Washington University (May 2024) and holds a Bachelor of Arts with honors in English from Michigan State University.

With nearly 25 years of dedicated service in the fields of professional learning and arts education, Cynthia brings a wealth of experience and unique perspective to her new role. Previously, she worked within the education division of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, on the School and Community Programs team. As part of this team, Cynthia collaborated on professional learning initiatives for K-12 educators and managing the division-wide strategy aimed at engaging and developing teaching artists for both school-based and community-based endeavors.

From 2011 to 2023, Cynthia served as the Associate Director for Arts Education at Ford's Theatre, where she led comprehensive programs targeting educator professional development and student-centered initiatives. Notably, her work at Ford's Theatre centered on a critical analysis of President Abraham Lincoln’s powerful oratory and leadership legacy. This work sparked her deep interest in the intersections between education and leadership development. She believes everyone has leadership capacity and the ability to lead.

Her leadership development interests include understanding the formation of leader identity, exploring the unique experiences of women in leadership roles, and examining the interplay between followership and leadership. Cynthia is excited to immerse herself in the U.S. Army's incredible approach to leadership development.

Deeply believing in the importance of civic engagement and responsibility, Cynthia began her career as an AmeriCorps VISTA, working on a public safety initiative with AmeriCorps Dade in Miami, FL.

Cynthia has been married to her husband Terence for 16 years and has two teen daughters. She enjoys reading, attending performing arts performances, going to museum and historical sites, and spending time with family and friends.