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“Educate a girl, change the world,” has always been a guiding principle for Cynthia Simmons, a self-made, successful business owner, lover of sailing, and mentor to many women, with whom she shares her expertise, experience, and friendship.

A native Rhode Islander from the Fox Point section of Providence, Cynthia was a visionary at a young age, when she began working as a financial consultant in the 1970’s, designing investment plans in a male-dominated industry. She soon started her own business, C.A. Simmons & Associates, forming a pension plan and profit-sharing consultancy, investing in real estate, and becoming a regular speaker and advisor for the American Management Association. Alongside her remarkable achievements, Cynthia also makes it her ‘business’ to help others. With an incredible willingness to try, extreme generosity and an independent spirit, she believes strongly in giving back, in appreciation of the success and many mentors she has had in her career.

In keeping with her entrepreneurial spirit and to assist young women with empowerment, education and opportunities for a better future, Cynthia established the Cynthia A. Simmons Fund, a donor-advised fund at the Rhode Island Foundation. Having the freedom and flexibility to support many different types of groups that are working with young women and the knowledge of reputable organizations that the Foundation can provide, along with potential opportunities for co-funding, were important considerations in making her investment.

The Foundation’s reputation as a well-known, financially solid, and dependable organization brings Cynthia peace of mind, allowing her to continue her support for young women, now and in the future, assisting in building a legacy, like so much of her life and work, of her own unique design.