Former Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall honored in IfThenSheCan Game Changers exhibit at FIFA fan festival

Cynt Marshall has lived a life full of firsts.

She was the first Black cheerleader in the history of UC Berkeley before a 36-year tenure as a trailblazing executive at AT&T, where she rose to the ranks of senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer. When the Dallas Mavericks were rocked by a shocking 2018 scandal surrounding a decadeslong toxic work environment that included allegations of sexual harassment and domestic violence, Mark Cuban brought Marshall in to change the culture and right the ship. The Bay Area native became the NBA’s first female Black CEO.

So when Lyda Hill Philanthropies set out to commission and install 26 3D-printed life-sized lime green statues at Dallas’ FIFA fan festival at Fair Park during the World Cup, Marshall’s inclusion was a no-brainer as someone who has impacted the business of sports through creating more inclusive, people-first organizations.

The exhibit, titled #IfThenSheCan — Game Changers, highlights leaders in STEM who are transforming the game behind the scenes and championing the next generation of athletes, scientists, educators and leaders. Other honorees include U.S. Women’s National Team legend Julie Foudy, current USWNT superstar Naomi Girma and Moolah Kicks founder and CEO Natalie White.

“It's extremely heartwarming and touching to be included in this next iteration of If/Then,” Marshall told Yahoo Sports. “When you look across the country, you don’t see a lot of efforts promoting women in STEM. So it’s important for us to be role models and showcase role models so that when some little girl or boy will look at that statue, they can know that women have a place in science and sports.”

If/Then's core mission is creating a culture shift in how kids see their opportunities in STEM. The organization champions the next generation through content, experiential learning, scientific research and an ambassador program. “We're trying to make sure that every kid, particularly young girls, see themselves in the media, on the walls of museums and in textbooks to recognize that they too have a chance to change the world,” Nicole Small, If/Then’s co-founder and Lyda Hill Philanthropies CEO, told Yahoo Sports. “Cynt is a powerhouse in sports and women's empowerment. She represents this idea of empowerment and game changers incredibly well.”

While Marshall didn’t know the business of basketball upon joining the Mavericks, Cuban wanted her to stay on for three years and lead the organization's transformation. After helping AT&T become one of Fortune’s 100 best places to work in 2017, Marshall was confident she could do the same for the Mavs. She did so well that Cuban asked her to stay for four more years, eventually helping Dallas’ majority ownership transition from Cuban to the Adelson family before she retired from the role in 2024.

Marshall remains as busy as ever in what she calls her 3B phase, books, boards and better. She just started working on her second book on leadership and is on a number of corporate boards, including at Yahoo, Chime and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. And through her work with Dallas’ branch of CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and other philanthropic endeavors, Marshall aims to make the world around her better in numerous ways, including girls in STEM and sports.

“If we can spark just one person to say ‘I can do this,’ that’s what it’s all about,” she said. “So hopefully somebody will see this statue and be inspired.”