Cynthia J. Brinkley is on the board of Washington University in St. Louis, Ameren Corp., Energizer Holdings, Inc. and The Detroit Institute of Arts. In the past she was Chief Administrative & Markets Officer at Centene Corp., Vice President-Global Human Resources at General Motors Co., Chief Diversity Officer & SVP-Talent Development at AT&T Corp., President-Missouri at SBC Communications, Inc., Chief Diversity Officer & SVP-Talent Development at Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. and Chairman at Oasis Institute.

She received an undergraduate degree from Truman State University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri.