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 Cynthia Louise Dunham was the first-born child of Lawrence and Pearl Raty. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1954. Cynthia was the oldest of 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. Her father was an Army officer, a schoolteacher, and coach of the University of Utah diving team. Her mother was a schoolteacher, voted Utah teacher of the year, and a family counselor. She attended elementary school in Clearfield and Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Augsburg, Germany. Cynthia loved to swim and dance throughout her childhood and teen years. She recalls a love of ice cream, Mission Impossible (TV show), and reading the "funnies" in the Sunday morning paper. Fond childhood memories include touring Yellowstone National Park on snowmobiles and camping across Europe. She received a varsity letter in swimming from Lakes High School in Tacoma, Washington. She chose to attend the University of Utah, studying modern dance and was selected as an Utahanna (a cheer/dance team) her freshman year. At the end of her freshman year, Cynthia married Van J. Dunham PhD, and they decided to start a family. Instead of a honeymoon, Cynthia and Van moved to Mesa, Arizona where Van had accepted an assignment teaching Seminary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. After having 4 children in 5 years, Cynthia decided to go back to school. With only one car in the family, Cynthia walked to class pulling the children in a wagon so they could attend pre-school, while she attended class. She received an Associate of Arts degree at Mesa Community College, and then graduated with a BS in Accounting from Arizona State University in 1987. She readily admits that her motive for graduating with an accounting degree was to help finance her growing family. Cynthia and Van have 4 children (2 boys/2 girls) and 4.5 grandchildren. They have been married for 32 years and remain active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Personal Awards
Cynthia has been a Controller for a multi-state contractor, an Accountant for a medical clinic, an entrepreneur, and a political leader. She currently maintains a client base for a private accounting practice, and is Founder and Executive Director of The Leadership Centre, located in Chandler, Arizona. She started The Leadership Centre in 1996. Cynthia's first indication that Public Service might be her second calling, following her family, occurred in 1994 with a neighborhood concern. This led to her joining forces with other Gilbert neighborhoods in an attempt to refer the Town's update of the General Plan. After unsuccessful legal action to create the changes that were important to her, in 1995 she decided to take her civic participation to the decision-making level. She ran for Town Council and was elected. Shortly thereafter, she was appointed to serve on a number of influential civic boards, including, but not limited to the Gilbert Leadership Board of Directors. Once elected, she utilized her leadership skills to effect positive change in a community through collaboration, a skill she is widely recognized for mastering. In 1997, She decided to resign her Town Council position to run for Mayor. She won the election and served distinguishably as Mayor from 1997 to 2001. Cynthia continued to serve on a number of important community Boards, Authorities and Associations, where her leadership skills have been utilized to improve collaborative decision-making and implementation.
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