Headshot of Sarah Cechvala

Sarah Cechvala joined CDA in 2013. Her area of expertise is conflict sensitive aid and accountability to affected communities  participatory program design, and responsible business practice  She specializes in community engagement and working with organizations on institutional change and mainstreaming effective practices through coaching and accompaniment. 

Sarah is an experienced researcher and trainer and has facilitated collaborative learning processes and field research in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Currently, her learning and advisory focus is accountability to local communities and effective feedback mechanisms and practices in humanitarian and development contexts. Sarah also has extensive experience working with corporate practitioners and communities in fragile and conflict affected states in order to enhance company-community relations and to strengthen corporate social performance management systems. Recently, she managed CDA’s collaborative learning on private sector impacts on peace.

Before joining CDA, Sarah conducted mix-method research on displacement, vulnerable populations, and gender-based violence in conflict zones. She has a background in forced displacement and durable solutions for refugees and IDPs, and worked on refugee resettlement efforts in Kenya. She has also designed and facilitated humanitarian response training programs.

Sarah has experience living and working in Latin America and East Africa. She holds an MA from Georgetown University and an BA from Boston University