Diane Cowne

Diane Cowne is the parent is a young boy with autism and lives in Oldham County. She has worked as an advocate for children with autism since 2004. Ms. Cowne is a member of FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) and joined the board of the Kentucky Autism Training Center in 2006. Her passion is for all children to have access to the quality education that best serves their needs. She has served as Executive Director for School Choice Scholarships since 2000, a nonprofit that provides low-income children through the Louisville Metro Area with the opportunity to attend their school of choice. She was a founding member and continues to serve on, the Private Scholarship Initiatives National Advisory Board. Ms. Cowne earned a Master of Education from Salisbury University with concentrations in Elementary Education and Reading and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University in Political Science and Philosophy. She has an extensive background in program evaluation, community networking and nonprofit management. Ms. Cowne previously served as Administrator of Englishton Park, a residential therapeutic program for youth and as the Director of Education for the Salvation Army for a tri-county area in Maryland, directing programs for at risk youth. Ms. Cowne was the first recipient of the Maryland Governor’s Award for Service in Education.