Learning Lab

Cindy (she/her) is the founder and president of Turnstile Tours & Studio, a tour company and museum consulting practice based in Brooklyn, New York with a roster of partners and clients that have included the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Open House New York, and Storm King Art Center. A Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, Cindy has presented extensively at museum and tourism conferences on audience-centered and disability-inclusive spaces and experiences. She was awarded the 2022 Women in Tourism Award for NYC in the Tour Operator category, is a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group for NYC Tourism + Conventions, and currently serves on the board of directors for City Access New York, a disability service provider. She also is an advisory committee member for ReImagine Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park Alliance, and the Street Vendor Project of the Urban Justice Center. Cindy began her career at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in 2003, where she coordinated tour training, operations, and accessibility for 100,000 visitors annually, and subsequently worked in the disability services field designing programs and camps for students who are blind or have low vision and supporting outings for students with autism before founding Turnstile in 2012. Originally from Flushing, Michigan (a suburb of Flint), Cindy studied anthropology at the University of Michigan and conducted her thesis research in the Russian Far East, studying the cultural preservation efforts of indigenous activists and educators.