Ms. Cynthia Whittenburg graduated from the Senior Executive Candidate Development Program at the Department of Homeland Security in 2013 and from the Senior Managers in Government course at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in 2016. She is also a graduate of Dillard University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science/Business and earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Georgia. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Legal Studies in International Business Law at the University of Oklahoma.
Recently retired, she was appointed as Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Trade in 2016, responsible for overseeing one of the most critical aspects of the complex mission of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): facilitating legal trade while simultaneously protecting our supply chain to support our economic growth and national security. Under her leadership, CBP addressed many of the complex challenges of the current commercial environment, including e-commerce, forced labor, unfair trade practices, and regulatory reform.
Whittenburg’s career in civil service began at the U.S. Customs Service in the Port of New Orleans as an import specialist 33 years ago, and prior to her current appointment, she served as Executive Director of Commercial Policy and Programs within CBP. Her experiences include course developer/instructor at the CBP Field Operations Academy; National Accounts Manager; Chief, Entry, Summary, and Reconciliation; Director, Trade Facilitation and Administration; and ACE Business Transformation Director, while also serving in a parallel career as a commissioned reservist in the U.S. Army.