Cynthia Keaton‐Williams, fondly known as “Cook”, was the fourth child born to the late Reverend W.B. and Jessie Mae Keaton. She relocated from the Chicago area with her parents, as a young child, to the Champaign area where she and her siblings were active in Pilgrim Baptist Church where her father served as Pastor. Cynthia has been employed with the University of Illinois for 22 years and is the parent of two daughters. She attends Salem Baptist Church and is active in both her church and the Champaign‐Urbana community. She serves as a Volunteer Coordinator for the Douglass Library “Juneteenth” Celebration, Mid‐West Youth Quake Coordinator, Youth Director of the Salem Baptist Church and Youth Director for the Fellowship Baptist District Association. She is the organizer and president of the Beautiful Women’s Breakfast Club with the success of this club expanding to Chicago and Atlanta. Cynthia can always be found with a camera in her hand and serves as photographer for Salem Baptist Church.

Cynthia was featured in Difference Makers 2010: An eBlack Champaign-Urbana Publication.