Selma Cowan Named EEOC’s New Deputy Chief Financial Officer

WASHINGTON –The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced the selection of Selma Cowan as the federal agency’s deputy chief financial officer.

“The EEOC is fortunate to have Selma Cowan in this crucial role,” said Chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “Her extensive background in financial management, along with her formidable government expertise and strong commitment to the EEOC’s mission, make her ideally suited to this role.”

Selma Cowan said, “I firmly believe that equal opportunity for all is what defines our nation. As a naturalized American citizen of Asian descent, I’ve been given equal access to opportunities which directly helped shape my career and life goals. My goal is to pay it forward by being a part of advancing the mission of the EEOC.”

Cowan started her U.S. government career in 2003 in accounting with the U.S. State Department. She later served as the director of corporate accounting at the Natural Resource Conservation Service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Cowan first came to the EEOC in 2018 as the financial manager in the agency’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer. She transferred to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in 2021 to head that agency’s newly established Quality Assurance Branch in the Finance and Accounting Division.

Cowan has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting and is a certified government financial manager (CGFM). She is an active member of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA).

The EEOC’s deputy chief financial officer serves as the deputy principal advisor on financial, administrative, management and information support programs. She consults with and provides advice and assistance to the chief financial officer and office directors on all aspects of financial management; coordinates with other EEOC offices to ensure that financial and administrative management policies and procedures are followed; and helps ensure necessary services are performed. She provides overall leadership and day-to-day direction to office directors in the performance of their duties. The deputy CFO also encourages and motivates offices to incorporate vision, strategic planning, and quality management into the full range of human resources services.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.