Sheryl Cowan

Senior Vice President, Programs

Sheryl Cowan, CNFA senior vice president, Programs has more than 25 years of experience in development with a special focus on advancing food security and strengthening livelihoods and a strong record of program design and management, training and capacity-building.

Before joining CNFA in 2015, Cowan served in a variety of development positions, including as director, Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems for International Relief Development, Inc.; deputy resident country director in Mali for a $465 million contract for the Millennium Challenge Corporation; Peace Corps country director in Benin; and country director in Niger and Mali for Africare. Cowan began her career as an agriculture Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho.

Cowan currently manages a $145 million portfolio of agribusiness-focused contracts and grants in eight countries. Proficient in French, Cowan holds a Master of International and Intercultural Management with a dual concentration in sustainable development and training from the School for International Training.