[3] She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (BA), Penn's Wharton School of Business (MBA), and the Lauder Institute (Master's in International Studies).

[6] After declining to run for reelection as State Treasurer, Cowell was named CEO of Girls Who Invest, a nonprofit whose mission is to increase the number of women and people of color in leadership positions in the finance industry.

Cowell helped raise $40 million in private funding to improve the park before resigning in October 2024 to run for mayor.

[11] She went on to face Republican nominee Mark Bradrick, an insurance appraiser and Desert Storm veteran, and Libertarian Jason Mara in the general election.

[5] She faced Michael Weisel, a Raleigh attorney, and David Young, a Buncombe County Commissioner, in the primary election,[15] winning the nomination with 46.43% of the vote.