"When I arrived at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in 2014 as an international student, I had the ideas but not yet the voice to carry them in an American business setting. Cindy changed that.
Cindy has a rare gift: she sees each student as an individual, figures out exactly what is holding them back, and then patiently unlocks what was there all along. Her passion for teaching is real and contagious. You leave her class not just with better slides or a stronger delivery, but with a new confidence in how you show up in a room.
Of all my professors at Duke, Cindy left the most lasting mark. Over a decade later, I still hear her guidance every time I present to executives, align a team, or represent my work to regulators and partners.
Her lessons have followed me through every chapter of my career, from Dell to PayPal to Microsoft and now Google working on societal issues posed by AI.
If you have the chance to learn from Cindy, take it. She won’t just make you a better communicator. She’ll help you become the professional you were meant to be.”
-Radu Trandafir, Duke MBA, 2016
“Cindy fundamentally changed how I think about communication. As my management communications professor at Duke, she helped me dig into my verbal communication and become more confident presenting without relying on PowerPoint as a visual anchor. She helped me recognize my unique strengths as a communicator while also understanding the patterns I needed to work on.
Those lessons have had a lasting impact on my career. They were critical to my success recruiting for new roles, helped me stand out in consulting engagements across industries, and continue to serve me as I provide direct C-suite support as a Chief of Staff. Cindy has a remarkable ability to help people understand how they communicate and build the confidence to connect with an audience.”
-Andrew Fischer, Duke MBA 2025
“Cindy is the exact coach you need in your corner. Just as every champion boxer relies on a top-tier coach, Cindy is there to sharpen your fundamentals, harness your natural strengths, and strategically minimize your weaknesses.
She completely rejects the "one size fits all" approach, masterfully finding the right fit for your unique style and goals. When things get tough and you need encouragement, she is the steady bedrock that helps you bounce back and perform at your absolute best. Conversely, if you are running too hot, her calm demeanor grounds you and realigns your focus to put you back in a winning position.
If you are looking for a true winning formula, having Cindy in your corner is a must. She is the Freddie Roach of business communication coaching.”
-Joshua Ha, Duke MBA 2012
I absolutely love taking classes with Cynthia. English is not my first language, yet in her classes, I can truly feel her sincere, inclusive and open-minded attitude toward international students — this kindness comes from the heart, not merely out of professional duty as an instructor.
Cynthia taught my core course during my first year of the MBA program. I enjoyed her teaching so much that I also chose her elective course in my second year, and I have gained tremendous practical skills in corporate communication from her lectures.
I previously worked on Starbucks’ strategy team, where I regularly delivered presentations and reported to senior executives. Even with this professional experience, I still learned an incredible amount from her classes.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have studied under Cynthia. As an international student, her guidance has helped me fully grasp the norms and nuances of professional communication, formal presentations, and all the subtle yet critical details in business scenarios. I sincerely hope I will have the chance to continue learning from her in the future.”
-Maggie Xia, Duke MBA 2025
“Of all the courses I took during my MBA, Cynthia's Leadership Communications class stands out as one of the most transformative. I came in nervous, because public speaking is something that has always intimidated me. By the end, I was stepping in front of executive teams at my summer internship feeling genuinely prepared and at ease. And to this day, the techniques she taught me shape how I communicate in every room I walk into.
What sets Cynthia apart is her ability to create an environment where experimenting, stumbling, and trying again is acceptable and even necessary to truly improve. Her command of the classroom meant that my peers and I felt secure enough to take risks, and that sense of psychological safety was the foundation everything else was built on. She is also, simply put, one of the most personable and funny instructors I've had, which made showing up easy, even on the hard days.
In a very busy MBA program during which time and bandwidth is extremely limited, I especially appreciated that every lesson was grounded in clear, actionable best practices with no filler and no fluff. She always took the time to explain the why behind each technique, which made everything stick. We did frequent presentations and relied heavily on a peer feedback loop that sharpened both how we communicated and how we listened. I still think about how every transition should look backward and forward, tying together what was just said, why it matters, and where we are going next. And I never walk into a room without first asking myself why this audience should care, and how I will keep reminding them throughout. Cynthia didn't just teach us how to speak. She taught us how to be heard.”
-Besith Pineda, Duke MBA, 2024
“I provide my highest recommendation for Professor Edmondson. Her curated, highly structured learning environment in the Duke MBA Management Communication I and II courses blended deliberate feedback with purposeful reflection, creating a powerful space where my confidence and competence as a speaker grew dramatically— the skills I developed in her courses continue to shape how I communicate today.”
-Mike Rybacki, Duke MBA 2014
“I had the privilege of being a student in Cynthia’s leadership communications class during business school, and she was one of the most impactful professors I encountered throughout my program. Cynthia had a unique ability to take complex communication concepts and teach them in a simple, practical, and actionable way that made her lessons immediately applicable to real-world professional environments. She created a highly personable and engaging classroom atmosphere that encouraged collaboration and growth, often using peer interaction and feedback to help students refine their communication and leadership abilities. Her consistent emphasis on real-world application prepared me well for my MBA internship the following summer, where I found myself directly applying many of the communication frameworks and professional skills she taught in class. Beyond her teaching ability, Cynthia genuinely cared about her students and their success, regularly checking in and remaining a trusted resource outside the classroom.”
-Chris Bascomb, Duke MBA 2025
“As an incoming MBA student, I took Cynthia’s Language and Culture course for international students before the program began and she remains one of my most memorable professors. With warmth and practical insight, she helped us adjust to life in the US and learn to work across cultures. Her exercises stayed with me, like placing ourselves along an axis from direct to indirect styles of communication which sparked great conversations about our differences. Her stories of students learning, and sometimes struggling, to bridge cultural gaps reassured me that I wasn’t alone in my journey. Years later, I still live and work in the US, and I credit her class with helping me take my first steps here. Thank you, Cynthia!”
-Stanley Tiu, Duke MBA 2009
“When I first arrived at Duke Fuqua from Ghana, I was naturally introverted, shy, and often hesitant to speak up. Leadership Communication was a required course I probably wouldn't have chosen on my own, but looking back, it became one of the most transformative experiences of my MBA.
Professor Cynthia Edmondson created an environment where I felt comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone. Her patience, warmth, and relatable approach helped me find the confidence to express myself, communicate more effectively, and see myself differently. The impact was so meaningful that when the opportunity came to take her elective, Project Communication, I made it my top priority. That course further strengthened how I collaborated with teammates, approached difficult conversations, and communicated my ideas.
Today I find myself confidently initiating conversations and connecting with professionals I have never met. Ironically, people now ask me how I navigate these conversations so naturally, when just two years ago, I was asking those same questions.
Professor Cynthia gave me the foundation, confidence, and motivation to keep becoming a better communicator and leader. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have been her student.”
-Elizabeth Okai, Duke MBA 2026
“Cindy was one of my best professors at Fuqua. 15 years later, I still apply many of her lessons on how to communicate effectively. Cindy’s approach is distinguished by her real-world experience, humor, and care for her students. And 15 years later, we’re still connected!”
-David Phillips, Duke MBA, 2011
"Cynthia has a coaching style that is both memorable and impactful, blending enthusiasm, warmth, and a genuine care for others. She creates an environment where people feel supported and empowered to grow as communicators. Years later, I still find myself drawing on her practical tips, exercises, and lessons. Her impact extends far beyond the classroom, and I feel lucky to have learned from her."
-Gerard Pozzi, Duke MBA, 2025
“Cynthia brings something timeless, central, and increasingly rare to the world of comms - real human investment. I was fortunate to learn from her in her faculty role at Duke's Fuqua MBA program, and her coaching was nothing short of transformative to my ability to express myself effectively in a professional context. She takes the time to get to know the human behind the message, meets you where you are, and gets you where you want to go. I entered her classroom rusty and nervous and left it finding joy in being sought out to speak to hundreds.”
-Mike Treiser, Duke MBA 2021
“Cynthia Edmondson’s communication training had a profound and lasting impact on my career. The frameworks I learned significantly improved how I build and present presentations, reinforce key messages, and communicate with greater logic and confidence. I am now far more effective at engaging my audience, handling questions calmly without panic, and persuasively conveying ideas in both formal presentations and day-to-day discussions. This training directly strengthened my professional presence and helped me advance toward my career goals.”
-Angela Wei, Duke MBA 2025
“Everything (and I mean everything) I know and have learned about effective communication came directly from my time with Cynthia Edmondson.
As a startup founder and CEO—someone who leads high-stakes presentations and someone who is the game-maker in game-changing conversations—I genuinely do not know where I’d be had I not taken Professor Edmondson’s Management Communication course at Duke Fuqua School of Business.
I came into that class riddled with insecurities and despising any type of public speaking. I did not leave in any similar fashion; I left sure of my ability to express myself concisely, clearly, and confidently. Even in a group setting with multiple students, she was particularly adept at identifying each of our individual strengths as well as our individual weaknesses. She has the innate ability to both kindly and capably guide each of us on best practices to improve upon our weaknesses.
I have since spoken in many public forums, including podcasts, live interviews, and from podiums; I have participated in panels at professional conferences; and I’ve been a keynote speaker with an hour-long slot for an audience of nearly 800 people. I have been able to do these things for one specific reason: Cynthia Edmondson.
She is the utmost professional when it comes to teaching management communication and I could not recommend her more; you can rely absolutely on everything she says.”
-Maggie Buchanan, Duke MBA 2202, MPP 2022
