Sumaia Chowdhury

Senior Program Manager

Sadia Sumaia Chowdhury is a Senior Program Manager at ARCED Foundation, responsible for business development, engaging in strategic partnerships, and project management. She has been with the foundation since 2018, guiding program planning, resource allocation, and funding, as well as offering strategic insights to maximize the overall efficiency of the organization. Sadia is a certified BSS (Bachelor of Science in Economics & Accounting) holder from East West University and is working towards her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. In addition to her strong academic background, she has specialized training in impact evaluation, social-behavioral research, and human participant protection from well-known institutions such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and SANEM.

As Study Coordinator and Finance Controller, Sadia has managed a large portfolio of high-impact research projects for some of the world's leading institutions, including the World Bank, Stanford University, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). She manages project operations on a day-to-day basis for these projects and ensures that the projects are on schedule and has effective monitoring systems in place to ensure that projects are on track. Before embarking on her groundbreaking career in the research and development space, Sadia worked for more than five years with KPMG Rahman Rahman Huq and gained significant experience in the areas of statutory auditing, internal control review, and financial compliance. This solid foundation in quality assurance allows her to ensure high quality in the operation and finances of all ARCED Foundation's research initiatives.