Cydni C. Polk serves as director of Community Life (CL) for the Chicago South region at The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB), a position she has held since 2023. She supports CL teams in TCB’s Bronzeville and Southshore communities, providing resident-centered strategic approaches to create equitable pathways for resident and neighborhood success.

Since joining TCB in 2011 as an education specialist, Cydni served in various roles, most recently as senior manager of CL at Oakwood Shores. In this position, she led a team dedicated to creating pathways for residents to access opportunities focused on housing stabilization, youth development and education, asset building, community engagement, and senior services. Previously, Cydni served as senior CL specialist, increasing opportunities for resident engagement and helping residents achieve individual goals.

Before joining TCB, Cydni held roles at the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, Gary Comer Youth Center and Huntington Learning Center. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and holds leadership positions at both the chapter and Midwest regional level, focusing on social action and communications and public relations efforts. Cydni also serves on TCB’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce and Leadership Development Council. She is a published photographer.

Cydni holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Spertus College and a bachelor’s degree in English from Stillman College. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in organizational leadership from Concordia University. Cydni recently received the Trailblazer of the Year award for her work in youth development from the Chrysalis Program, an organization that fosters girls’ mentorship throughout Chicago.