Cynthia N. Colbert, MSW, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
Catholic Charities President and CEO Cynthia N. Colbert, MSW was named a finalist in the Outstanding Business Leader in Nonprofit category for Houston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Awards.
The 70 honorees across eight categories will be recognized in a special section of HBJ’s Oct. 27 weekly edition and at an awards reception on Oct. 26. HBJ will also recognize a lifetime achievement award winner and a businesswoman of the year.
Since taking the helm of Catholic Charities in 2012, Colbert has created new partnerships across the region to help impoverished individuals build better lives. She personally had the vision for and launched a new kNOw Poverty Conference (2015 and 2016) to bring together people from cross-segments of the community to find solutions to help those in need find a path to hope and self-sufficiency.
An expert on the topic of poverty and ways to address it, Colbert has a heart for the poor and vulnerable, and she often advocates on their behalf. She serves on various boards and task forces, regularly writes guest columns and speaks to community groups to encourage them – as well as government agencies and corporations – to find new ways to work together to address poverty-related issues that impact generations.
Last year, Colbert spoke before a United Nations panel in New York about educating refugee women, and she has presented numerous times at the regional and national level.