Sydney Diavua
Vice President and Community Affairs Officer
Sydney Diavua is vice president and community affairs officer in the Community Development department at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In this role, she provides strategic leadership across Community Development’s research, outreach, and engagement portfolios, guiding efforts to strengthen community development practice throughout the Eighth Federal Reserve District. Since joining the St. Louis Fed in May 2020 as director of community partnerships and investment, Diavua has led initiatives focused on understanding the needs of low- and moderate-income communities and improving the flow and effectiveness of community development capital.
Diavua brings deep expertise in community development finance and community engagement strategy, shaped by a career spanning the Federal Reserve System, national nonprofits, and international organizations. Prior to her work in St. Louis, she served as a community engagement advisor and associate at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Earlier in her career, she was a program officer at Innovations in Civic Participation, where she supported research and leadership development related to youth civic participation and national service. She has also held roles at the Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change, focusing on comprehensive community change efforts, as well as within international organizations advancing civic participation.
Diavua holds a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Spelman College.