Dr. Cynthia Johnson is a trusted advisor to businesses large and small, government agencies, policymakers, and community leaders throughout Florida and internationally. She has built her career around the diverse and inclusive interconnected aspects of economic development. Her skills as a consensus builder, relationship broker, and leadership strategist have been refined over her 24 years as an economic development professional. Over the course of her career, she has led teams that have brought more than $105M in capital formation and supported over 40,000 jobs in the communities of Pinellas. She firmly believes sustained economic development growth is only achievable through an approach which is inclusive, intentional and people-centered. Leading by her values of integrity, humility, and accountability she encourages shared engagement and responsibility to create new opportunities. She advocates for public policies and business practices that promote inclusion and marketplace diversity.
As Director of Pinellas County Economic Development and the Executive Director of Pinellas County’s Economic Development Authority, Cynthia is focused on attracting and retaining companies that create high-value and wages that support a thriving economy. Her professional experience has earned her the reputation as a thought leader in innovation solutions and collaborator with key stakeholders in both private and public sectors. She guides efforts to leverage the strengths of the target industry markets, deliver talent development solutions, and create opportunities that drive long-lasting economic prosperity and inclusive growth for residences and business.
Experienced in leading entrepreneurial and small business efforts, Cynthia has created and launched economic initiatives that have attracted investment and resulted in more than $310M in government contracts awarded. She specializes in partner relations, federal and state grants management and compliance, business and strategic planning, entrepreneurial development, finance, and small business innovation. She has more than 24 years of experience in economic development and over 29 years in leadership training and development.
Prior to those positions, Cynthia served as the Assistant Principal for Pinellas County Schools and held various positions in education and training. She is a graduate of Florida Memorial University, with a BS in Education and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership & Organization from Nova Southeastern University. She holds certifications from Cornell University in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Master Economic Development Practitioner, Executive Fellow of Eckerd College Leadership Institute, Bloomberg Harvard Public Engagement Fellow, Business Continuity Professional, the National Forum of Black Public Administrator’s Executive Leadership Institute, in addition to a plethora of industry related certifications. She is a sought-after speaker on innovation and thought leadership, economic inclusivity, talent development, disaster and business continuity, and stakeholder engagement.
Cynthia recently received the Congressional Honor from U.S. House of Representative, Kathy Castor for outstanding accomplishments, leadership and service, Tampa Bay Journal’s Power 100, Tampa Bay Inno Award, ONYX Magazine’s 2022 Woman on the Move, and Woman of the Year. Other community involvement includes her appointment as Honorary Commander to MacDill Airforce Base’s 927th Air Refueling Wing, a member of the St. Petersburg (FL) Chapter of Links, Incorporated and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Her most favorite things to do is spending time with family and traveling.