Celebrating Women's History Month | Cynt Smith Marshall, Gamma-UC Berkeley
By Archivist/Historian Diane Hall, Eta Upsilon-Drexel
During Women's History Month, we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of extraordinary women who have left a lasting impact on society. Among these barrier-breakers are the Notable Delta Gammas, who have advanced our mission of doing good and left lasting legacies in various fields, from business and politics to arts and philanthropy. This month serves as a reminder to honor their achievements, inspire future generations, and reflect on the collective power of women who continue to shape our world.
Delta Gamma’s motto, do good, calls for Delta Gammas to improve the world. Embodying this ideal is Cynthia “Cynt” Smith Marshall, Gamma-UC Berkeley, who has helped organizations address issues of discrimination, harassment, diversity and inclusion.
In 2018, the Dallas Mavericks were facing very serious problems around misogyny and sexual harassment within the organization. These issues had been going on for decades, and the team’s owner, entrepreneur and Shark Tank host, Mark Cuban, knew they had to be addressed. So, he made a call to Cynt. The two had never met or spoken before, and Cynt had never even heard of him. However, Cynt had cultivated a reputation for making meaningful changes at large organizations, and Mark wanted to do just that with the Dallas Mavericks.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, her family relocated to California when Cynt was an infant. After facing physical abuse by her father, her mother took Cynt and her siblings and left. Cynt mother put high value on education. According to Cynt, “My mother put a math book on one hand and the Bible in the other.” Her strong work ethic and academic aptitude lead to her receiving a full scholarship to the University of California, Berkely where she studied business administration and human resources management. She also became the university’s first Black cheerleader.
After college Cynt worked as a local supervisor for AT&T and began climbing up the corporate ladder. Despite her success, Cynt felt she had to suppress parts of herself at work. She avoided wearing bright colors in her work clothing, styling her hair in braids or talking too loudly. Even her preferred name, Cynt, was challenged by upper management and often not used by her colleagues.
After becoming president of AT&T North Carolina, Cynt decided she would no longer suppress her authentic self at work. In 2015, she was promoted to senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer. Thanks to the strategies she implemented to make AT&T an inclusive workplace, it was named one of Fortune’s 100 Best Places to Work for the first time.
In 2017, she left AT&T to start her own consulting firm. In 2018, she got that phone call from Mark Cuban. She began her work at the Dallas Mavericks by simply listening to the employees and scheduling one-on-one meetings to learn about their lives. She increased the number of women in leadership positions to 50% and people of color to 47%. In December 2024, Cynt retired from her position as CEO but continues to consult for the organization. Read more about Cynt in the ANCHORA.
Is there a Delta Gamma you think should be included on our Notable Delta Gamma’s list? Submit their name for consideration by filling out this form.