Cathy Szymanski of Szymanski Consulting in Erie, Pennsylvania recently began a three-year term as a trustee of Kiwanis International. She was elected to the role in June 2019 at the 104th Annual Kiwanis International Convention in Florida. She has been a member of Kiwanis for 25 years. The 15-member board includes nine members representing the United States and western Canada. Other separately-elected members represent Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and eastern Canada and the Caribbean. She became the first female from Pennsylvania Kiwanis to serve on the Kiwanis International board when she took office on October 1, 2019.
Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers which includes 8,072 adult clubs and 8,427 youth clubs in 79 countries around the world. Kiwanis has 215,016 adult members and 342,840 youth members. Kiwanis annually raises more than $100 million and dedicates more than 18.5 million hours to strengthen communities and help children. Through service projects and fundraisers, Kiwanis members improve their communities, make lifelong friendships and, most importantly, help children reach their full potential.
Szymanski is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Erie and the eKiwanis club in Pennsylvania. She has been distinguished club president, secretary, lieutenant governor and governor and has served as membership chair.
She is a George F. Hixson Fellow and a Walter Zeller Fellow. She also is a Pennsylvania Pliney Wilson Fellow, a life member and a Key of Honor member. She also has served as a district trustee. She was a membership chair and Key Club zone administrator, attending 15 Key Club conventions.
She is a veteran of the United States Army, earning three Army Achievement Medals and an Army Good Conduct Medal.
Outside of Kiwanis, Szymanski is a member of the board at Community Shelter Services, is vice president of State Police Camp Cadet Troop E and is involved with Safe Kids and Positive Youth Development advisory groups. She is director of WOW at Szymanski Consulting and is president of e-IT Support.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science at the Erie Business Center and holds a degree in marketing from Mercyhurst University.
