Cindy Brewer is appointed in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) as the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs (ADFA) starting August 2024. During her previous appointment with the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) she served as head of the department for seven years. She also has served on department, EMS college, and university-level committees for promotion and tenure. In geography, she was the associate head, graduate officer, undergraduate officer, and director of the Gould Center over the years.

She has been a member of varied university committees, such as reworking the survey questions for student ratings of teaching effectiveness (SRTE, now SEEQ) and Dean and Vice President searches. She was elected to the University Faculty Senate and chaired the Faculty Affairs committee. She was chosen by Penn State as an Administrative Fellow, spending the year shadowing then-Provost Rod Erickson and working on special projects with university leaders.

In 2014, she received the EMS Wilson Award for Outstanding Service. A long list of university service roles is included as an addendum to her CV.

In reflecting on a big service task, organizing the scientific program for ICC 2017, she realized she was using all her cartographic skills: evaluating quality of data, classing by attributes, multivariate analysis, color coding, generalizing, revising over and over, consulting and collaborating, spanning the globe, steering and responding to clients, and of course using balky computer interfaces.