2025 J. Erik Jonsson Ethics Award

“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”
— Epictetus

Cynthia 'Cynt' Marshall’s life embodies this truth. Her journey has been marked by navigating life’s storms with resilience, faith, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right. For her, life’s challenges are not reasons to quit but chances to rise higher, reminding us that adversity is not a barrier but an opportunity to grow stronger, more compassionate, and better equipped to lead and serve others.

For more than three decades, Cynt has embraced leadership as a calling, creating environments where trust and belonging inspire us to turn life’s challenges into opportunities for impact. Cynt’s leadership philosophy centers on respect, belonging, and transparency—values that were tested and proven throughout her career. In 2018, Cynt took on the role of CEO of the Dallas Mavericks at a pivotal moment in the organization’s history. Facing significant cultural challenges, she drew from the lessons of her own life to implement a bold 100-day plan centered on accountability, transparency, and trust. Her leadership transformed the Mavericks into a workplace twice recognized with the NBA’s Inclusion Leadership Award, setting a new standard for organizational cultural transformation. For Cynt, authentic leadership is not about avoiding storms but embracing them, knowing that perseverance and purpose lead to progress.

Rooted in her belief in the power of community and the importance of pouring into others, Cynt has extended her leadership to the Dallas community, where her efforts continue to uplift the most vulnerable. She has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including Dallas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), where she advocates for children and families in need, and the Dallas Regional Chamber, where she served as the 2024 chair, uniting businesses to create a stronger, more connected community. Her work with the T.D. Jakes Foundation and other nonprofits underscore her belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to rise above their circumstances. Cynt leads with her heart, using her platform to bring others up and ensure they have the tools and support to thrive.

The values celebrated by the J. Erik Jonsson Ethics Award are exemplified in Cynt Marshall’s legacy, which spans both business and community leadership. Before joining the Mavericks, she spent 36 years at AT&T, where she broke barriers and became President of AT&T North Carolina. Her contributions earned her the prestigious 2013 Leadership North Carolina Governor’s Award, recognizing her lifetime dedication to advancing equity and opportunity. As CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, she led a cultural transformation that earned recognition with the 2020 Girl Scouts of America Lifetime Achievement Award and inclusion in Adweek’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports. Her leadership excellence was further celebrated by Forbes in 2021 as one of the world’s most inspiring female leaders and by the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum in 2022 with the Hope for Humanity Award. In 2024, she was inducted into the Junior Achievement Dallas Business Hall of Fame, solidifying her role as a transformative leader committed to ethics and our shared responsibility to one another.

Cynt’s journey reminds us that life’s greatest storms can forge the strongest leaders. As she writes in her memoir, You’ve Been Chosen, “You, too, have stories and experiences to tap into that will help you. You, too, have been equipped for whatever you’re facing. You, too, have a choice in how you will respond. You, too, have been chosen.” These words call us to courageously rise above challenges, lead authentically, and cultivate belonging wherever we go. Her legacy of hope and transformation inspires us to lift others, create unity, and leave an enduring mark on the world.

2025 J. Erik Jonsson Ethics Award Host Committee Co-Chairs