Cindy Lee Neighbors was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i, where her artistic journey began in childhood. She started competing in pageants at the age of 6, winning the title of Miss Teen Asian International when she was just 14 years old! She also performed in high school plays, landed print work for Japanese clients, and appeared in music videos for Coolio and commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken, all before graduating from high school. Eager to further pursue her dreams of acting, Cindy moved to Los Angeles, where she earned a degree in theater at the University of Southern California and landed roles in television shows like Smith alongside Ray Liotta and The Fish Tank with Drake Bell.

Driven by a desire to serve her country, Cindy embarked on a career in military medicine, earning a Doctor of Medicine degree with honors from the Uniformed Services University. During medical school, she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, a prestigious distinction recognizing the top 16% of medical students nationwide.  Her research to reduce opioid prescriptions has garnered national recognition, including the Best Paper award from the Society of Military Otolaryngologists at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Her project also won First Place, Best Research Poster at the Bass Symposium, Tripler Army Medical Center in 2019. Her work, implemented at Tripler Army Medical Center, demonstrated that opioid prescription rates could be reduced by as much as 50% in rhinoplasty patients without the need for refills.

Now retired from the Army as a Captain, Cindy is pursuing her lifelong passion for storytelling. Her debut memoir, TOO MUCH, is a raw and honest account of navigating mental health challenges within the demanding field of military medicine. TOO MUCH is a deeply personal narrative that delves into the complexities of trauma, resilience, and self-discovery. Cindy is also excited to announce her upcoming children's book debut, Benji and Briana Become Booger Doctors (Mascot Books).

Cindy is committed to destigmatizing mental illness and empowering others to find their voice. When she's not writing, Cindy enjoys traveling, hiking, and scuba diving.