Press Release

Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Recognizes Major Bowen and members of the International Development Working Group (IDWG)

CNFA Director of Global Security elected as the new Vice Chair of the IDWG

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On November 16, the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) presented its 2017 Common Interest Council Award to CNFA Director of Global Security Major Bowen in recognition of the broader International Development Working Group (IDWG) team. Bowen, who was in turn elected as the new Vice Chair of the OSAC IDWG, has been an active member of OSAC since 2015 and a voting member of the IDWG since July 2016.

The award recognized the IDWG’s efforts to increase engagement of the international development community and is given each year to an OSAC member whose leadership promotes the importance of information sharing in public-private collaboration in the security realm.

As Vice Chair of the IDWG, Bowen will continue to engage with partners across public and private spheres towards elevating the discourse of global security professionals working in international development.

Bowen joined CNFA (Cultivating New Frontier in Agriculture), an international agricultural development organization, in 2015 to oversee the safety and security of CNFA’s staff, business infrastructure and in-country operations.

“Major understands that our people are our greatest asset,” said CNFA President and CEO Sylvain Roy. “He has worked tirelessly with our staff and public and private partners worldwide to promote information sharing to enhance security and an emphasis on developing local relationships that ensure we can achieve our mission day-in and day-out. The OSAC IDWG team has gained an experienced new leader with Major, and I know they will benefit as much from his unique insight as we do at CNFA.”

Before joining CNFA, Bowen worked as a Lead Operations Officer with the Department of State and focused on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), political violence and conflict mitigation initiatives in sub-Sahara Africa. His experience also includes work as a Regional Team Leader and Regional Operations Officer implementing USAID contracts in Iraq, among other assignments, and as a Senior Governance Specialist. He has over 25 combined years of experience in the active and reserve components of the U.S. Army and has served in combat, stability, counterinsurgency and peace enforcement operations around the world.

CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture, an international agricultural development organization, specializes in designing sustainable, market-led agricultural initiatives.  CNFA builds strong local and global partnerships, incorporates innovative approaches in its programs, and fosters inclusive development to offer enhanced opportunities to under-served groups.  Since 1985, CNFA has managed more than $600 million in donor-funded agriculture development programs and has worked in 45 countries across the world in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia.

For more information, visit www.CNFA.org.