About
Cynthia Shapira is serving her seventh year as chairwoman of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors. She initiated complete system redesign to ensure financial sustainability and student access and affordability and excellence in governance. Shapira is also a vice-chair of the Brandeis University Board of Trustees and previously served as a Point Park University trustee. Other nonprofit board experience includes the Allegheny County Airport Authority and past board leadership positions with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh Board of Directors and the Jewish Federations of North America. Shapira was a vice-chair of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s transition team and a member of the Governor’s Advisory Board on Education and Workforce Development. She was named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania in 2017, City & State’s 2022 Pennsylvania Fifty Over 50, and City & State’s 2022 Higher Education Power 100. Shapira served for more than 25 years as a management consultant with two firms and independently in the areas of higher education and nonprofit strategic management.
Professional Credentials
Cindy holds an EdD in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA from Wellesley College.