Sylvia J. Megret serves as president and CEO of ACDI/VOCA. As a global development executive with 30 years of experience, she promotes the organization’s mission and lives its values in support of inclusive, sustainable development worldwide. Sylvia joined ACDI/VOCA in December 2016, first serving as chief operating officer (COO) and later as president and COO from February 2021 to April of 2022. She also served as interim CEO from December 2017 to June 2018.
Sylvia received the 2024 Washington Post Top Workplaces Leadership Award for mid-size organizations (150-499 employees). She has proven expertise convening diverse teams that bridge functions, cultures, and international borders. She is also skilled at identifying and institutionalizing effective teams and systems for maximum efficiency and success.
Sylvia is currently board chair of the Fundación ACDI/VOCA Latin America (FAVLA). She also serves as a board member of the Society of International Development’s U.S. Chapter (SID-US) and as the 2022 SID-US conference chair. Sylvia led ACDI/VOCA’s role as a founding member of the Coalition for Racial and Ethnic Equity in International Development (CREED) and is also a founding member of Chief (Washington). She also serves as the Advisory Council Chair for the Center of Excellence for Global Food Security and Defense at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
She holds a master’s degree in international development from American University and a bachelor’s degree in political science and French from the University of Michigan. She is fluent in English and French, and her work has taken her from Africa to Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.