Cynthia Figueroa, 43, a longtime Mt. Airy resident who was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Miami, Florida, is now the Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner, in charge of protecting children from domestic abuse and neglect.

by Sue Ann Rybak

Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner (DHS) Cynthia Figueroa, 43, a longtime Mt. Airy resident, was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Miami, Florida. Prior to the DHS, Figueroa was CEO of Congreso de Latinos Unidos. The mother of two children recently sat down with the Local to discuss her role as DHS Commissioner and why she chooses to live in Mt. Airy.

• What do you like about Mt. Airy? Why do you choose to live there?

“There are so many things to love about Mt Airy. What originally brought us there was the park and a friend’s recommendation, plus it was a great location between my work and my husband’s work. What has kept us here for 18-plus years and why we are so happy is the inclusive, progressive community feeling, the Wissahickon with the business corridor of Germantown Avenue. I can walk to so many of my favorite places: High Point, Fit Life, McMenamin’s. Not to mention that my kids love it here.”

• Tell me something about your life that people might not know?

“I have always been incredibly athletic. I like to run and bike. I work out at Fit Life in Mt. Airy.  I love to walk in the Wissahickon. My husband is avid mountain biker and supporter of Friends of the Wissahickon. I consider myself a good cook. I like to try a lot of different and interesting recipes. I have been cooking since I was very young. It’s the way I relax. I exercise so I can eat whatever I want.”

• How has your family helped shape you as a person? What made you pursue a career in Human Services?

“A lot of it has to do with my personal history. My parents really instilled in me and my sisters a commitment to social justice. You have a responsibility to the world and those around you. Both of my parents were engaged in the Peace Corps in very different ways. My father was in the first class of Peace Corps volunteers. He has a letter from President Kennedy thanking him for his service at the time. He subsequently met my mother, who was born and raised in Central America, because of the Peace Corps, so their union was sort of social justice driven. I attended a Jesuit college and joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I got the bug very early on. Both my parents had a very difficult childhood. They wanted to make sure my sisters and I had a different experience. We came from very little means but really had the typical American Dream. It taught us that with hard work and education, things can change. I have amazing parents.”

• Is there someone in your life who inspired you?

“My parents have inspired my two sisters and me to work hard and be resilient. My mom and sisters are really driven to improve the world around them. I have had the great honor to work with extraordinary leaders in Philadelphia, who have inspired me in a lot of different ways. I have always been committed to making sure the opportunities I’ve had are available to people regardless of their class or race … Frankly, some of the clients I have served have been my greatest inspiration.”

• What are some misconceptions people may have about you?

“People often create assumptions that people in leadership positions have a particular degree or come from a certain class. I think that is one misconception.”

• What is your strongest trait?

“My greatest strength is understanding my audience, whether that is in front of one individual or in front of hundreds of people. My ability to be a strong communicator. It’s one thing to be a great orator. It’s another thing to be able to communicate what the needs are and then translate that through dialogue. How do you move your vision forward when there are different stakeholders?”

• What made you decide to take the job?

“I didn’t take the job because I thought I could solve or eliminate the violence that occurs in the community towards children and youth. I didn’t believe that any one system could ultimately prevent or ensure that there will never be another child death, but I saw that there was a system that gravely needed transformation. I felt that I had the skills, ability and will [to make a difference] … It’s not just the Department of Human Services. It’s really a community’s response against violence to women and children. We must hold the perpetrators of violence accountable and build a system that works to protect children, but we all have responsibilities in the community to protect the most vulnerable among us.”

• What is the hardest part of your job?

“The challenge of keeping kids safe while appreciating and managing the complexities families bring with them when they are brought to the attention of DHS. Also, getting the community at large to recognize that child welfare is a priority for all of us, and we must work together to keep kids safe.”

More information at www.phila.gov/dhs. Suspected abuse or neglect of children should be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 215-683-6100 or 800-932-0313.

This article was updated on Jan. 17, 2017. An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that "Prior to the DHS, Figueroa served as executive director of Women Against Abuse, the largest provider of domestic violence services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania." The article should have said that "Prior to the DHS, Figueroa was CEO of Congreso de Latinos Unidos."