Relentless Drive, Unforgettable Impact: Meet Cynthia Treadwell, Sagent’s Trailblazing General Counsel
In this series, we’re focused on the humans who make up Sagent. We’re fortunate to have a team that is constantly evolving – both professionally and personally – folks from all over the world who bring a variety of experience, education, and perspectives to advance our challenging mission. We’re excited to introduce you to some of these talented people who make Sagent a vibrant, productive community.
Where did you grow up?
I’m the youngest of three children. My mom worked in television, and my dad was a book publisher, translator, and professor who periodically worked for the government. Texas was our family’s home base for the most part, but my father’s career was very international, so I’ve had schooling in Europe, Canada, and Latin America.
Tell me about your family, pets, where you live, and anything else you’d like to share about your life to help people get to know you.
Today, I’m lucky to live in beautiful Colorado, where I have two cats and a dog in a busy household with my partner James, who is the conservator at the Clyfford Still Museum. He cares for the historical, physical, and chemical well-being of about 3,000 different works of modern art (He’s way more interesting than I am!)
What are your hobbies?
I love to cook, and I’m also a nerd about the gastronomy of food from all over the world. Anthony Bourdain had the best job on the planet. In addition, I enjoy yoga, hiking, horseback riding, and spending time with friends.
Do you volunteer or have a soft spot for any charity in your community?
I work with Metro Caring, which is an organization that provides fresh food, fruits, and vegetables for those on public assistance. I am also involved with a few different horsemanship programs for at-risk youth, and I teach yoga.
What are your favorite movies, music, or TV shows?
I spent some time in the music business, and I am a die-hard advocate of live and independent music. I love gritty blues (Stevie Ray Vaughan is one of my heroes), the Texas singer-songwriter vibe, and the Red Dirt category (Jackson Dean, Turnpike Troubadours, Reckless Kelly). That said, I like everything from classical Spanish guitar to Mozart to Metallica.
I quote way too much from movies, and a few of my favorites are My Cousin Vinny, The Red Violin, Bull Durham, the Bourne movies, or pretty much anything with Robert DeNiro. I’m a documentary junkie for the most part when it comes to TV.
Tell me about any notable accomplishments that you’re proud of.
I think my best days are still ahead of me, but I am proud of my strong track record as a commercial litigator before becoming an in-house attorney, and the professional growth of my career. I’ve tried to gain perspective from both the good and the not-so-good that’s come my way in life.
Do you have a role model? If so, tell me about them.
Three people who have really influenced me are Sarah Weddington, Ann Richards, and George F. Kennan. Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who tried Roe v. Wade, was one of my college professors and remained a friend until her death. Ann Richards, the former Governor of Texas, taught me a lot about grit and grace. Finally, George F. Kennan, a diplomat who was the foremost expert on the Soviet Union during the Cold War and beyond, told many difficult truths to the governments of both the U.S. and Russia and paid a price for it politically and personally, but never faltered.
What is your educational background?
I received BAs in Political Science, Italian, and French from the University of Texas at Austin (go Longhorns!) and a JD from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
Tell me more about your career journey. Highlight a particularly positive or negative experience and what you learned from it.
I think I’ve done every job there is to do in law. I was a runner, an administrator, a paralegal, an associate attorney, a partner, and then in-house counsel. I’ve worked in banking and finance law and regulation from a legal advisory, trial, and regulatory defense perspective. I’ve also worked in mortgage secondary markets and servicing in legal, operational, and compliance capacities. Like Johnny Cash, “I’ve been everywhere, man.” I’m proud of that breadth of experience, and I think it gives me a unique perspective that also carries a lot of depth when it comes to evaluating an issue and representing a client. I’ve learned that success often depends on how many layers of an issue you can see and how much better you understand those interrelationships than your adversary or your competition.
How did you get into mortgage fintech?
My first exposure was when I was at SLS/Computershare, where I worked closely with the technology that supported our operations. No problem could be solved, and very few questions could be appropriately addressed without understanding what was happening in our systems and why. I also learned to build things in that role (compliance programs, controls, monitoring and testing, etc.) and have been addicted to learning everything I can about technology ever since.
What does your “day to day” look like in your role at Sagent?
The days are long and active, but always interesting and collaborative. My team and I deal with contracts, corporate governance, employment law, risk management, litigation, regulatory matters, intellectual property, and the list goes on!
What about your job that motivates or challenges you?
It’s rarely the same thing twice, and we’re always driving forward as one team in Legal. I love the fact that we do not have any limits to what we can do because Dara is an open horizon. I love that anyone at Sagent can say “wouldn’t it be cool if we could build ______” and we say, “well, let’s try it.” I will use every research resource available to get an answer or provide guidance because I know I’m supporting the delivery of something important.
Have you had an impactful mentoring experience, either giving or receiving?
With the Legal Team, I’ve been lucky to experience how mentoring and development can happen in a 360-degree model and how powerful teamwork can be. We all have different experiences and different lenses of discernment. My team is great with candid and useful feedback about what is working and how I can improve myself as a lawyer, a professional, a leader, a colleague, and a human.
In a 1:1 scenario, I’ve had some tremendous mentors in my day, and the best ones taught me that your job as an attorney is always being steadfast in your duties to the client and in your role as an advisor and advocate. In the other direction, with younger attorneys I’ve mentored, I’ve tried to encourage that same client focus, help them expand their reach with new skills and expertise, and encourage them to actively look for assignments where they’re punching above their weight.
What excites you about Sagent’s mission to lead the evolution in loan servicing by solving its most complex challenges?
Dara is a game-changer and brings a frictionless, end-to-end servicing platform that allows servicers to be both more intentional and impactful in the experience they provide homeowners. Sagent is bringing them technology that leaves a measurable impact, both for performing loans, non-performing loans, and default portfolios. Servicing is a heavily regulated business, and it is highly complex. What we are doing is hard – and it takes guts and perseverance. I feel very fortunate to be doing what I believe is the most important work in the industry right now. That is why I came to Sagent: a truly modern end-to-end solution is long overdue, and it’s a once-in-a-career opportunity to be part of that.
Of Sagent’s values of “Relentless, Relevant, Respectful and Reliable” which of those resonates with you most?
Probably Relentless. I like that this is a core value! I’ve been called relentless in other contexts as though it were a bad thing. I responded, “Wait. Can someone please explain how being focused, driven, and undeterred is bad for business?”
What is your experience with Sagent’s culture?
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is a true statement. In a nearly 100% remote company, we have an exceptionally strong culture at Sagent. It takes a lot to maintain culture when employees are not all on-site interacting all the time. We seem never to miss a beat, and I have probably gotten to know more people at a more meaningful level at Sagent than I have at most any other organization I have worked with.
What is your favorite thing about working for Sagent?
The people. Our Legal team is amazing, and it’s a privilege to learn from them every day. Team Sagent is filled with whip-smart, conscientious, energetic professionals with big ideas and the dedication to execute them. That is a rare thing.
And be sure to check out Cynthia’s recent recognition as a 2025 HousingWire Insider.
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We always like to ask our Sagent Standout’s colleagues for insights into what it’s like to work with them. Jason Clark, Chief Legal Officer shared this:
“Cynthia is the kind of teammate every leader hopes to have—caring, compassionate, and always eager to support Team Sagent. Her depth of legal expertise is matched only by her generosity and drive to help others succeed. She brings heart and hustle to everything she does, and it shows in the impact she makes across Sagent.”