Mashal Husain
Chief Operating Officer
Mashal Husain serves as Chief Operating Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In September 2008, Mashal Husain joined the staff at the World Food Prize Foundation as Director of Development and Finance. In 2014, she was named Vice President. In 2022 she was promoted to Senior Vice President and in 2023 was named COO.
Raised in Pakistan, Tanzania, Thailand and the Philippines, Mashal has an international background. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, studying psychology and Spanish.
In 1994, Mashal went on to pursue a Masters in Healthcare Administration from Cornell University where she earned the Sloan Faculty Award for outstanding achievement. Following her Masters, in 1996, she completed a post-graduate Fellowship in Hospital Administration at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Upon moving to Des Moines in 1999, Mashal worked for Iowa Health System in various management roles within Blank Children’s Hospital and Iowa Methodist Medical Center. In 2006, she accepted a position with Principal Financial Group as Director of Strategic Development for the Health Division.
Alongside her career, Mashal has been passionate about remaining involved in the local Des Moines community. She serves on the Board of Directors for United Way of Central Iowa and Habitat for Humanity. Mashal has enjoyed being a part of various philanthropic endeavors including Go Red for Women (American Heart Association), Women’s Build (Habitat for Humanity) and Festival of Trees & Lights (Blank Children’s Hospital).
In 2004, she was selected by the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute (GDMLI) to be a part of their 2004 Leadership Class. Mashal was also the 2006 recipient of the “Forty Under 40” award, recognizing rising leaders in the community (under the age of 40) for their professional achievement and civic leadership.
In 2015, Mashal was named a "Woman of Influence" by the Des Moines Business Record. Perhaps not surprisingly, Mashal considers herself a citizen of the world.
You can contact Mashal at 515-245-3797 or by email at mhusain@worldfoodprize.org.