MEET OUR CEO
Cynthia B. Knox, Esq.
Cynthia B. Knox, Esq., is Co-CEO of Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill (CHHOP) and Co-CEO of Lifting Up Westchester, two organizations dedicated to
addressing hunger, homelessness, and economic hardship across the Hudson Valley. A
nonprofit executive, attorney, and social justice advocate with more than 30 years of
experience, Knox has spent over two decades leading initiatives that expand
opportunities and improve outcomes for low-income and vulnerable populations.
Under her leadership, CHHOP increased organizational revenue by more than 225 percent, expanded program staffing by 280 percent, and launched innovative programs including the RISE Program for domestic violence survivors and a rental assistance and support initiative for low-wage workers and immigrants. She also transformed CHHOP’s food pantry into a health-focused farm-to-pantry model centered on equity and nutrition.
Knox has received numerous honors for her leadership and community impact, including recognition as a 2024 LGBTQ+ Trailblazer by The LOFT and designation as a
Peekskill LGBTQ+ Leader by the City of Peekskill. Under her leadership, CHHOP has
been recognized with the 2022 New York State Empire Award, the 2022 Peekskill
NAACP Distinguished Service Award, the 2022 Feeding Westchester Neighbor Service
Award, the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Quality of Life
Award, the 2023 914INC. Women in Business Leaders Award, and recognition by
Crain’s as a 2023 New York Notable LGBTQIA+ Leader. In 2026, Knox was honored
with the Building and Realty Institute’s Lifetime Service and Advocacy Award and the
New York State Senate Distinguished Woman Award.
Knox serves on the Executive Committee of the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce, the Westchester County Community Development Advisory Group, the
Policy Advisory Committee for Welcome Home Westchester!, and the New York-
Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital Community Advisory Board. She holds a J.D. from CUNY School of Law and a B.A. in Philosophy from Sarah Lawrence College.
