Ms Cowley is the Assistant Secretary of the Pacific Development Branch in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Office of the Pacific. Prior to commencing this role in February 2022, she was Australia’s Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City and has previously served as Assistant Secretary in DFAT’s Health Policy, Staff welfare and People, Policy and Planning Branches. Before joining DFAT, she worked in Indigenous education. Ms Cowley has been a passionate diversity and gender equality advocate engaging government and the private sector, including during her time in Vietnam, delivering several Gender Equality Conferences and working to connect local gender advocates with international equality movements. In 2021, she received DFAT’s Gender Equality Award recognising her contribution to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment outcomes, and also received a Secretary’s Award for Reconciliation. Ms Cowley was a founding board member of the Asia Pacific Leader’s Malaria Alliance (APLMA) and the Ayui Foundation (Thailand), and was Vice President on the board of Lifeline Canberra. Ms Cowley holds a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Communication and a Graduate Diploma in Education, as well as an Associate’s degree in Music and is an Accredited Partnership Broker.