Cynthia Yao is a seasoned public sector leader whose 25-year career in early childhood education and human services has been defined by innovation, impact, and dedication. As the former Regional Program Director for the Office of Head Start (Region IX), she managed a budget exceeding $1.8 billion and provided federal oversight for federal early childhood programs serving over 100,000 children across five states and territories. Prior to her tenure with the Office of Head Start, Cynthia’s professional experience includes the provision of training and technical assistance while also spanning across the fields of foster care, juvenile delinquency, child protective services, and family services. Cynthia’s leadership has been marked by strategic vision—implementing policies, driving cross-agency collaborations, and strengthening program quality to better serve children and families.
A proud Head Start alumna and mother of two, Cynthia blends her professional expertise with a deep personal commitment to her mission. She has built and led high-performing teams and has been a mentor and advocate for emerging leaders in her field. Now, she partners with mission-driven organizations to elevate leadership capacity, guide organizational strategic planning, and strengthen systems for sustainable lasting positive change in communities and the lives of families and children.
Email: cynthiatyao@outlook.com
I have been to management workshops, not leadership training. This has totally changed my perspective and encouraged me to propel forward in developing my skills.
I am honored and humbled to be a recipient of the Region 9 Head Start Association’s Legacy Scholarship. The scholarship helped me get one step closer to achieving my goal of becoming a Head Start Director.
I took part in The disproportionate impact of COVID 19, and how to provide “real” support for black/brown children and families and I just want to say this was an amazing webinar. I hope we can look forward to further conversation on this topic.
Thank you so much for making events like this! I really enjoyed and learned so much teaching strategies to implement STEM in the classroom.
The HR Network was an excellent opportunity to network and learn the best practices from other HR professionals within Head Start programs. You will be amazed by the level of talent and experience of the participants.
The Summer Camp training was powerful and inspiring! Each presenter was very engaging, it’s hard to even pick a favorite session!
The Leadership Challenge training was very relevant to my work as a Head Start leader! Great facilitation; stayed with the program yet allowed time for individual and small group reflections.
Regular price $12.00
Regular price $39.00
Questions? Contact us at headstartr9@region9hsa.org.
