Sheila Crowley

Chief Operating Officer

Sheila Crowley became Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in April 2024, bringing demonstrated experience guiding global teams on mission-driven work and organizations through periods of transition and transformation.

Crowley most recently served as the Executive Vice President and COO at Global Communities, where she managed various moving and interconnected departments, enabling teams to work more effectively and efficiently across the global organization. Her portfolio included Global Programs, IT, Communications, Innovation, Safeguarding, and Global Security.

Previously, Crowley served as Acting Director of the U.S. Peace Corps; she spearheaded the development of the Peace Corps five-year strategic plan and implemented key program initiatives across global operations. She also served as the Peace Corps Country Director in Romania and Indonesia and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine. Crowley was also Vice President of Volunteer and Institutional Engagement at Habitat for Humanity International, where she oversaw its global volunteer impact strategy, which included developing and recruiting the next generation of Habitat volunteers.

Volunteerism remains a core value for her, as she sits on multiple NGO boards including Partners for Good in Jordan, Overseas Cooperative Development Council (OCDC) and Mines Advisory Group – US, Vitas Romania and Vitas Iraq Advisory Board.  She also volunteers with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as a family mentor supporting refugee families and as an adoption coordinator at a local Labrador rescue.

Crowley has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Russian Studies from Penn State, a Master of Science, in Information Science from Drexel University, and a DE&I Certificate from Cornell University. She is also a certified yoga teacher and scuba diver and in her free time enjoys exploring the many national and state parks in the Washington, D.C. area.