Cynthia Wallace
Cynthia Wallace, a native of Springfield, GA, has lived in Charlotte, NC since 2006. In 2021, she co-founded the non-profit, New Rural Project, which focuses on making sure that the voices of rural young people and marginalized residents are heard. She is also the Executive Director.
Cynthia earned her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Spelman College and her Master of Science in Statistics from the University of North Florida. Her 25-year career in the financial services industry enhanced her expertise in risk management and regulations where she worked for three fortune 500 financial services companies, beginning at AT&T Universal Card Services. She then worked for Wachovia Bankcard Services before spending over 20 years with Synchrony (formerly GE Capital), retiring from there in Jan 2021 as Vice President, Credit Acquisitions Insights Leader. During her time at Synchrony, she spent one year in Paris, France on an International Risk assignment and became a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
Cynthia was the 2020 Democratic Nominee for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. She’s been active politically in NC since 2008. Prior to running for office in December 2019, she was the Chair of the 9th Congressional District of the North Carolina Democratic Party beginning in January 2017 where she led an 8-county strategy.
Cynthia has been involved for over 30 years in the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College (NAASC) with the Jacksonville, FL and the Atlanta, GA chapters. In 2007, she helped to re-charter the Charlotte Chapter of NAASC and served as chapter president. She also served as the NAASC Southeast regional coordinator from 2016 – 2018 supporting chapters across 5 southern states.
In 2021, Cynthia was appointed to the NC State Banking Commission by Governor Cooper and was also elected to the boards of Democracy NC and the Levine Museum of the New South. She also serves on the board of her homeowner’s association. She was a member of the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan Strategic Advisors. She has been a member of the Park Church South Charlotte for over 15 years.
Cynthia credits her late mother and father with her passion for civic engagement. Her father was a civil rights activist and was the first African American elected to Effingham (GA) County Commission. She has two sisters and one brother and frequently visits her family in and near the small southern Georgia town where she grew up.
