Title: Certified Diversity Practitioner and Independent Consultant
Company: Self-Employed
Location: Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States
Cynthia Rose Bryant, certified diversity practitioner and independent consultant, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Lawyers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in government, nonprofit and mediation.
Growing up with a doctor for a father and a mother who was always taking part in community initiatives, Ms. Bryant was taught the importance of service to others from a young age. And as a blind African American woman, she has deeply personal experiences with the challenges faced by marginalized groups on multiple levels. Ms. Bryant has been driven by empathy, a passion for consumer issues and a respect for the importance of diversity. Despite facing her own adversity along the way, she has forged an esteemed professional history of 30 years and continues to work hard.
Channeling her values through public service, Ms. Bryant’s first position was as an attorney for the Missouri Public Service Commission beginning in 1996. In 1999, she offered her insight as an attorney and policy adviser for the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities. For that endeavor, Ms. Bryant oversaw interagency focus groups on policies and programs touching on laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. She then helped craft a report on these efforts for the president of the United States.
That same year, Ms. Bryant began a tenure of more than 20 years with the Federal Communications Commission in 1999. She initially joined the government agency as an attorney for the telecommunications division of the Enforcement Bureau. Ms. Bryant went on to contribute as an attorney for the telecommunications policy division of the International Bureau and the telecommunications consumer division of the Enforcement Bureau. From 2008 to 2009, she oversaw a digital TV transition special project that had her traveling to South Dakota to work with consumers and broadcasters on the nationwide transition from analog to digital television.
Continuing her time with the FCC, Ms. Bryant took on the role of senior legal adviser for the Office of Native Affairs and Policy in 2010. Considering this time a notable highlight of her career, she operated as a connection between the federal government and tribal governments, aiding the former in improving telephone, radio and broadband offerings on Native American territory while remaining respectful to their culture and traditions. Following that, Ms. Bryant spent almost five years leading a special project for the front office of the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. Her final position at the FCC, as special counsel for the Office of Workplace Diversity, lasted from 2017 to 2022.
In 2022, Ms. Bryant culminated 14 years of service with The Seeing Eye Inc., a nonprofit that trains Seeing Eye dogs for the blind, by devoting two years as the chair of the board of trustees. Since 2023, she has served as an independent consultant, offering her expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion and the law to promote inclusivity in workplaces and mediate problems.
Ms. Bryant’s performance in the field was born of her academic journey, beginning with a Bachelor of Arts in creative arts and piano performance with a minor in French from Bradford College in 1984. She obtained a Juris Doctor from The University of Kansas in 1994. Subsequently, Ms. Bryant earned a Master of Laws in international legal studies from American University in 2003. Dedicated to lifelong learning, she has continued to bolster her credentials through professional training. Among other achievements, Ms. Bryant has been certified in leadership and management from the Darlene H. Young Leadership Academy, in mediating disputes from the Harvard Negotiation Institute, in conflict coaching from Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, as a strengths coach from Gallup Inc., and as a diversity practitioner through the Institute for Diversity Certification. She has been admitted to the bar in Missouri and the District of Columbia and for the Supreme Court.
Known for her contributions as a civic-minded citizen, Ms. Bryant has continued to find ways to help others above and beyond her primary vocation. She serves on the alumni advisory diversity council for The University of Kansas Law School and as a board member for National Industries for the Blind. Ms. Bryant also volunteers with the Women’s Club of Chevy Chase, where she works on literacy programs, meals for the homeless and scholarships. She has maintained membership in the National Association for Multicultural Education since 2022.
Looking to what’s next, Ms. Bryant is primarily focused on writing a book, which she aims to complete and publish in 2026. The book delves into the topics of sensory mindfulness and empathy, pulling on her experiences as a sighted person, a visually impaired person, a blind person, a woman, and an African American. Ms. Bryant hopes her writing can encourage readers to challenge themselves, step outside of their comfort zones and not give up on working to understand other people.
For more information, please visit:
Association for Conflict Resolution
National Industries for the Blind
Who’s Who of Professional Women
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