The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham welcomes new board chair Cynthia Prieto

Retired educator Cynthia Prieto plans to leverage the next two years of her time as board chair at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham to increase knowledge, action, and access.

Prieto takes over from professional advisor Kevin Flint, who concluded his service June 30.

TCFHR manages more than $88 million in assets on behalf of charitable citizens. Since 1998, the foundation has awarded $82.7 million in annual grants and scholarships to benefit the region and beyond, aiding nonprofit work in education, the arts and culture, health and human services, animal welfare, and more. It is governed by a 16-member board of community members.

“Cynthia joined our board with more than 34 years of experience in the education field, and has consistently brought fresh perspectives to her committee and vice chair work,” said Revlan Hill, executive director. “When I think about Cynthia, I think right away of her ability to listen, to bring new ideas, and to help us network among new community partners. She’s been particularly attentive and enthusiastic in learning more about the work of the foundation, and I’m looking forward to working with her new role.”

Cynthia Prieto, TCFHR board chair.

A bilingual and bicultural native of Colombia with deep roots in northern Virginia, Prieto moved to the Harrisonburg area in 2014 to become principal of Harrisonburg High School. Upon retirement in 2019, she decided to stay, having found a true home in this vibrant area of the Shenandoah Valley.

“This community has the best of both worlds in variety of the people, the tightness of the community yet the rich international opportunities, the history of the valley, the vibrancy of the experiences, and the foundation of support, generosity and welcome that it extended to me,” she said.

Prieto says retirement was an adjustment, having spent many years immersed in the identity of an educator and administrator.

“There are so many ways to fill my cup, and involvement in the community foundation has been a part of that exploration of ways I can contribute to this community,” she said. “I don’t have to be in the principal’s office to be in the position to support these kids. My seat on the scholarships committee has given me another way to support our young adults. And with committee work on grants, I’ve learned so much about so many relevant topics in our community, from mental health to homelessness and housing, food insecurity and so much more.”

Prieto has also been a contributor to the establishment and growth of one of the foundation’s newer programs, a free literacy program for preschool-age children called the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library that aims to increase school readiness and parent/caregiver interactions.

Cynthia Prieto greets guests at the 2024 25th anniversary event.

Her vision of increasing access to TCFHR has roots in her experience as an educator and administrator, working across cultures and organizations to increase opportunities for students and families.

“I use access as a global word,” she said. “I mean access to services, causes, communications, networking. TCFHR really has that at the heart of its mission … it’s a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits providing a variety of services for our residents. The organization provides a way to do a lot of good for a lot of people and I hope we can continue to spread with word into donors, businesses, neighborhoods, nonprofits, and residents we haven’t touched yet.”

As vice chair, Prieto says she’s worked hard to increase her knowledge in anticipation of providing support and input as the foundation nears the end of its third decade. TCFHR’s board includes 16 professionals, all local residents, who bring expertise in finance, business, economics, education, public administration, among other fields.

“Continuing to recruit strong board members will always be a priority,” she said. “Surrounding this organization and its staff with knowledgeable and trusted members who are committed to sharing their skills and time, and advocating actively for the foundation, will continue to be important.”

Prieto is also on the board of Skyline Literacy and Harrisonburg Professional Firefighters Foundation. She is a member of the Harrisonburg Police Community Advisory Committee and of the choir VOICE, which performs benefit concerts for area nonprofits.