College of Western Idaho (CWI) has named Mahmood Sheikh as the inaugural Athletic Director. Sheikh has been with CWI since September 2025 as the Assistant Chief Advancement Officer for Strategic Initiatives. In his new role, he will lead the launch of intramural and intercollegiate athletics at the College.
Sheikh brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning intercollegiate athletics, advancement, and nonprofit organizations. He spent 14 years in collegiate athletics, including two stints with the University of Idaho, where he served more than six years as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Executive Director of the Vandal Scholarship Fund, as well as a period at the University of Colorado Boulder. In addition, he spent nearly nine years as Deputy Executive Director for the Idaho State Bar and Idaho Law Foundation, Inc.
A native of Moscow, Idaho, Sheikh is a graduate of the University of Idaho, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership. He is married to Amity (Vacura), and they have two children, Zain and Ara. He serves on the Live Foundation, Inc. Board, is an executive committee member of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and is a former executive committee member of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors.