Cynthia Pong, JD, is an award-winning career strategist, speaker, and author of Don’t Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color. An NYU-trained lawyer turned feminist career coach, she founded her company, Embrace Change, in order to get women of color the money, power, and respect that they deserve. In 2021, Cynthia created and launched the Embrace Change Leadership Accelerator (a leadership certification program that was fully funded after 22 days of crowdfunding and 134% funded after one month). Graduates of the program have gone on to land prestigious fellowships, paid speaking engagements, and promotions and raises. Cynthia’s been featured in The Atlantic, Good Morning America, NPR and more; has shared a virtual stage with Magic Johnson; and is a LinkedIn Top Voice for Job Search and Career.
Cynthia specializes in strategizing with mid-career women of color professionals and leaders who are pursuing unconventional paths. Her coaching focuses on emboldening her clients, sharpening their negotiation skills, and building their business acumen. She is frequently sought out to provide highly relevant, super applicable, easy-to-understand career advice specifically for women of color.
With a decade of experience negotiating – first as a public defender, now as an entrepreneur – she has studied and applied various negotiation styles and techniques. She has helped her clients negotiate increases as high as 67% and well over $500K more in annual salary, starting offer, or rate, in aggregate. She has coached countless clients to promotions and advancement as well.
Her clients are breaking down barriers in a variety of fields and industries, including: medicine, tech, public health, the arts, environmental justice, and the trades. Cynthia is a proud introvert, a classic middle child, and an unapologetic Rottweiler enthusiast.
