community achievements

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

Compiled by Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

For nearly five years, National Peace Corps Association has published the Community Achievements article to amplify the accomplishments and celebratory updates of returned Volunteers and Peace Corps staff. To expand and diversify the achievements highlighted, we are inviting the Peace Corps community to submit recent or upcoming achievements via this submission form. 

We encourage all RPCVs, current Volunteers, affiliate groups, and Peace Corps staff to complete the form so we can showcase your accomplishments with the rest of our community. Whether it's a new job promotion, successfully completed community project, award, published book, or entrepreneurial venture, we want to hear your stories and celebrate your milestones. We accept submissions on a rolling basis.

2023  

May & June 2023 

Alexandria Kassman Dreher (Azerbaijan 2009–12), Full Basket Belize (volunteer-run organization), Robert Findlay (Colombia 1963–65), John Lorentz (Iran 1962–64), Matthew Heller (Morocco 2007-09), Joshuah Marshall (Morocco 2007–09), Jacque Zoccoli (Liberia 1966–68), Ritu Bhatnagar (Nepal 1995-97), Andrew Berman (Togo 1967-69).

 

March & April 2023 

Andre Boyer (China 2015–17; Georgia 2017–18), Jon Santiago (Dominican Republic 2006–08), Johnnie Carson (Tanzania 1965–68), Nick Denson (Rwanda 2018–20), Peggy Walton (Ukraine 1994–96; 2013–16), Ted Webne (Ukraine 2016–18), Brian Elmore (Zambia 2015–17).

 

January & February 2023

Elana Hohl (Afghanistan 1971–73), Chic Dambach (Colombia 1967–69), Christopher Dodd (Dominican Republic 1966–68), Glenn Blumhorst (Guatemala 1988–91), Michael Madon (Kyrgyzstan 1994–96), Rahama Wright (Mali 2002–04), Alyssa Mashek (Nepal 2019–20), Brittney Nadler (Sierra Leone 2019–20), Martin Puryear (Sierra Leone 1964–66), Reed Hastings (Swaziland 1983–85).

2022  

December 2022 

Megan Ranney (Côte d'Ivoire 1998–2000), Cindy Mosca (Ethiopia 1967–69), Evelyn Newman-Phillips (The Gambia 1980–83), Christopher Burns (Ghana 1999–2001), Christopher Martin (Ghana 2008–10).

 

October 2022

Maggie Eckerson (Belize 2019–20), Chris Cushing (Ecuador 1981–84), Maryam Saifee (Jordan 2000–02), Josh Josa (Kenya 2010–12), Quintella Cobb (Lesotho 2019–20), Quintella Cobb (Mauritania 2019–20), Bridget Mulkerin (Senegal 2018–20), Amy Runyon Harms (Tanzania 1997–2000), Mario Lopez-Rodriguez (Tanzania 2019–20), Sabra Ayres (Ukraine 1995–97).

 

September 2022

Arthur W. Brown (Benin 1991–95), Weijin “Gina” Leow (China 2014–16), Skip Auld (Iran 1973–74), Bill Owens (Jamaica 1964–66), Andre and Kjessie Essue (Lesotho 1967–68), Alex Garcia (Morocco 2007–09), Greg Moydell (Morocco 1990–92), Marc-Vincent Jackson (Senegal 1986–89), Cindy Nofziger (Sierra Leone 1985–87), Mark Gearan (Peace Corps Staff).

 

July & August 2022

Jennifer Rochon (Antigua 1992–94), Hoor Qureshi (Botswana 2019–20), John Thorndike (El Salvador 1967–68), Megan McCrea (Micronesia 2007–09), Justin Bibee (Morocco 2012–14), Liz Fanning (Morocco 1993–95), Hoang Thai Tao (Mozambique 2011–13), Ron Ranson (Nepal 1964–66), Jenn Rowley (Nicaragua 2014–16) and Joe Daniels (Nicaragua 2013–15), Karla Yvette Sierra (Panama 2010–12, Response 2012–13), Roberto. M. “Ambet” Yangco (Peace Corps Staff), Carol Spahn (Romania 1994–96), Kit Evans-Ford (Saint Kitts and Nevis 2007–08), Dr. Mamadou Diaw (Peace Corps Staff), Alissa Everett (Senegal 1995–97), Genevieve de los Santos Evenhouse (Zambia 2007–08; Guyana, 2008–09; Uganda, 2015–16), Holly Rendle (Zambia 1996–97).

 

June 2022

Rob Schmitz (China 1996–98), Lane Bunkers (Costa Rica 1989–91), Krista Kinnard (Ecuador 2010–2012), Dr. Nadine Rogers (Peace Corps Staff), Tommy Vinh Bui (Kazakhstan 2011), Josh Josa (Kenya 2010–12), Travis Wohlrab (Lesotho 2013–15), Lowell Hurst (Nepal 1976–78), Heather Laird, Jamie Hopkins (Ukraine 1996–98).

 

May 2022

Eric Scherer (Belize 1975–76), Gloria Blackwell (Cameroon 1986–88), Michael Meyer (China 1995–97), Maureen Orth (Colombia 1964–66), Elyse Magen (Colombia 2018–20), Jessica Pickering (Guinea 2019–20), Mathew Crichton (Morocco 2016–17), Charles Vorkas (Mozambique 2002–04), Matt Sarnecki (Romania 2004–06), Ali Kinsella (Ukraine 2008–11), Kechi Achebe (Peace Corps Staff).

 

April 2022

Ryan Stock (Dominican Republic 2007–09), Lisa E. Delplace (Kenya 1982–84), Madeline Uraneck (Lesotho 2006–09), Mary Johnson, Megan Thompson (Panama 2018–19), Mary Alice Serafini (Sierra Leone/Niger 1969–72), Juhi Desai (South Africa 2018–20), Carrie Hessler-Radelet (Western Samoa 1981–83).

 

March 2022

Jim Diamond (Chad 1971–73), Kathleen Chafey (Colombia 1963–65), Kiva Wilson (El Salvador 2004–06), Sabrina T. Cherry (The Gambia 2001–03), Kayla Canne (Ghana 2018–20), Shelton Johnson (Liberia 1982–83), Cameron Beach (Malawi 2016–18), Danielle Lee (Malawi 2001–03), Marc Rand (Romania 2000–02), Kelsey McMahon (South Africa 2014–16), Sarah Bair (Tonga 2019–20), Patricia Delaney (Tonga 2002–05), Andrea Armstrong (Turkmenistan 1996–98), Nathan Truitt (Turkmenistan 2000–03), Caleb Rudow (Zambia 2012–14).

 

February 2022

Ailton "Santo" Coleman (Kiribati 2001–04), Samantha Kloft (Cambodia 2019–20), Olivia Shaffer (Fiji 2017—19), Estevan Vega (The Gambia 2014–16), Amanda Hauf (Georgia 2016–18), Maria Krasinski (Georgia 2017–18), Sandra Clark (Guinea-Bissau 1990–94), Rachel Bielajew (Malawi 2015–17), Kelly Hoeltzel (Malawi 2019–20), Carrie Guilfoyle (Niger 2006–09), Henry Maillet and Jeff Wong (Paraguay 2017–19), Larry E. André, Jr. (Senegal 1983–85), Rose Delores Gibbs (Sierra Leone 1980–84), Margaret Bond (Zaire 1988–90), Matthew McAllister (Peace Corps Staff). 

 

January 2022

Kate Hammond (Argentina 1992–94), Michael Mulvaney (Bolivia 1995–97), Diane Carazas (Botswana 1983–85), Kat Maier (Chile 1978–79), David Wertime (China 2001–03), Dominique Thurmond (Dominican Republic 2017–20), Ruth Rosas (Fji 2015–18), Marc Sabin (Lesotho 1988–90), Justin Bakule (Mali 2004–06), Kiana Graves (Morocco 2017–19), Martin do Nascimento (Nicaragua 2010–12), Peter Riley (Niger 1983–85), Deborah Francisco Douglas (Philippines 2011–14), Daniel Robinson (Venezuela 1966–68).

2021  

December 2021 

Elana Hohl (Afghanistan 1971–73), Mike Kiess (Bangladesh 2002–06) and Cambodia (2006–08), Anne Rimoin (Benin 1993–95), Lucy Ruderman (Botswana 2016–18), XiNomara Velazquez Yehuda (Costa Rica 1993–95), Brian Arbic (Ghana 1990–93), Bennett VanOudenallen (Guatemala 1999–2000), James F. Goode (Iran 1968–71), Katrina Fotovat (Moldova 2000–02), Renee Wizig-Barrios (Nicaragua 1993–95), Hannah Baysinger (Paraguay 2019–20), Patrick Gonzalez (Senegal 1988–90), Craig Sholley (Zaire 1973–75). 

 

November 2021

Ken Culver (Bolivia 1965–67), Jennifer Pritheeva Samuel (Dominica 1999–01), Melvin Foote (Ethiopia 1973–75), Charles Blomquist (Fiji 1988–90), Chris Roesel (Guatemala 1973–75), Margaret Chell (Guinea 2018–20), Adam Browning (Guinea-Bissau), Jessica Collins (Guinea-Bissau 1996–98), David Brummel (Republic of Kiribati 1998–2000), Clifford Garstang (Korea 1976–77), Roland Merullo (Micronesia 1979–80), Lawrence Leamer (Nepal 1965–67), Mike Mitchell (Niger 1983–85), Gary M. Restaino (Paraguay 1991–93), Donald Lu (Sierra Leone 1988–90), Lauren North (Swaziland 2010–12). 

 

October 2021

W. Brunhofer (Afghanistan), Andy Dieckhoff (China 2017–19), Douglas and Cheryl Hunt (Colombia), Stephen Foehr (Ethiopia 1964–66), Eric Madeen (Ethiopia), Bryan Mooser (The Gambia 2001–04), Estela Divino (Guinea-Bissau/ Cape Verde 1988–90), Harry Conklin (Iran 1968–71), Allison Monroe (Jordan 2002), Mary O’Connor (Macedonia 2006–08), Ron Ryanson (Nepal 1964–66), Lisa Woodson (Nepal), Robert Frisch (Nicaragua 2007–09), Laura Johnson (Paraguay), Santiago Pardo Sanchez (Vanuatu 2017–18), Charles Kosak (Zaire). 

 

August 2021

Tyler LeClear Vachta (Burkina Faso 2009–11), Moses Manning (Ecuador 2016–18), Doris Rubenstein (Ecuador 1971–73), Janet Lee (Ethiopia 1974–76), Kayla Canne (Ghana 2018–20), Chris Jage (Guatemala 1993–96), Raymond Limon (Honduras), Cordes Lindow (Hungary 1991–93), Carol Anne “Aziza” Reid (Moldova 2016–18), Kimberly Mansaray (Mongolia 2018–present), Katie Murray (Mongolia 2003–05), Gordon Brown (Niger Brown 1996–98), Brian Washburn (Paraguay 1998–2000), Kya O’Donnell (Philippines 2019–20), Nicholas Sung (Rwanda 2016–18), George Packer (Togo, 1982–83), Seth Hershberger (Tonga 2004–06), Emmery Brakke (Ukraine 2017–20), John Mark King (Uzbekistan 2001)

 

July 2021

Anna Brugman (Albania 2018–20), Michael O'Hanlon (Democratic Republic of the Congo 1982–84), Bruce Benton (Guinea 1964–66), Jennifer Fitzgerald (Honduras 2001–03), Grover Jackson (Kenya 1967–69), Bruce Hamaker (Liberia 1977–79), Courtney Blankenship (Morocco 2018–20), Penny Gage (Nicaragua 2009–11), Jennifer Giovanni (Niger 1995–97), David Gilmore (Tanzania 2016–18), Sinead Hickey (Timor-Leste 2016–18), Samantha Maltais (Tonga 2018–20), Helen Lowman. 

 

June 2021

Maureen Orth (Columbia 1964–66), Peter Kilmarx (Democratic Republic of the Congo1984–86), Tiffani Jarnigan (Dominican Republic 2012–14), Chris Matthews (Eswatini 1968–70), Kyle Henning (Ethiopia), Erick Guerra (Gabon 2002–04), Mark Donahue (The Gambia 2017–19), Molly Matteson (Ghana 2017–19), Rush Harris (Guatemala 2002–04), Forrest Dunbar (Kazhakstan 2006–08), Paul Theroux (Malawi 1963–65), Jocelyn Jackson (Mali 2005–06), Juanita Limas (Nicaragua 2000–02), Mark Sullivan (Niger 1980–82), Matthew Westfall (Philippines 1983–85), Carol Spahn (Romania 1994–96), Ruth Kauffman (Sierra Leone). 

 

May 2021

Ron Dizon (Columbia 1971–1973), Matt Kuhn (Cameroon), Michelle Boone (Chad 1994–96), Audrey Zibelman (Chad 1977–79), Peter Hessler (China 1996–98), Javier Valdés (Guatemala 1999–2001), Rayna Rogers (Indonesia 2014–16), Tom Klobe (Iran), Kathi Seiden-Thomas (Mali 1996–98), Kelly King Horne (Moldova 1995–97), Amy Maglio (Senegal 1996–99), Katie Speicher (Senegal 2016–18), Donald Lu (Sierra Leone 1988–90), Martin Ganzglass (Somalia 1966–68), C.D. Glin (South Africa 1997–99), Jody Olsen (Tunisia 1966–68). 

 

April 2021

Patrick Newman (Azerbaijan), Melany Danielson (Cambodia 2015–18), Jon Santiago (Dominican Republic 2006–08), Carissa Wills-DeMello (Fiji 2014–16), Melissa Fischer (Ghana), Rahama Wright (Ghana 2002–04), Liat Perlin (Guatemala), David Chard (Lesotho), Thomas Soucia (Lesotho 1981–84), Shelton Johnson (Liberia 1982–83), Shelton Johnson (Lithuania 1982–83), Tim Cureton (Micronesia), Jeffrey Reeves (Mongolia 2001–03), Robert K. Miller (Morocco), Miriam Welderufael (Paraguay), Edward Mazria (Peru1963–65), Tom Bissell (Uzbekistan 1996). 

 

March 2021

Marieme Foote (Benin 2018–20), Natalie Obaldia (Cameroon 2019–20), Jerome Siangco (China 2019-2020), Mildred (Milly) D. Taylor (Ethiopia 1965–67), Meghan McCormick (Ghana 2011–13), Norma Royale Wilder (Guatemala), Sandra Adounvo (Lesotho), John Fleming (Malawi 1967–69), Austin Fraley (Malawi 2017–20), Vishakha Wavde (Malawi 2018–20), Molly Mattessick (Mali 2002–04), Aydin Nazmi (Micronesia 1999–2001), Paige Beiler (Morocco 2018–20), Emily Wood (Mozambique 2019–20), Leala Rosen (Nepal 2014–15), Jennifer Leshnower (Saint Lucia 2007–09), Carolee and Art Buck (Senegal 1968–70), Doug Teschner (Ukraine and Guinea, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Morroco 1971–73; 2008–17). 

 

February 2021

Erin Swiader (Cameroon), Jalina Porter (Cambodia 2009-2011), Maurice Lee (Ecuador), Topaz Smith (Ethiopia), Megan Vigil (Gambia), Juan Gonzalez (Guatemala 2001–04), Steven Lawrence (Jamaica), Michaela Washington (Kosovo 2018–20), Robert Allen Jr. (Moldova 2019–20), Ethan Fogg (Mozambique 2017–19), Stacie Haines (Niger 1997–2000), John D. Mann (Niger 1988–91), Robin Martz (Niger 1993-1995), Brendan O’Brien (Paraguay),  Janelle Jones (Peru), Rajiv Joseph (Senegal), E. Scott Osborne (Togo 1980–82), James Wilterding (Uganda), Andy Blye (Zambia 2017-2018). 

 

January 2021

Connie Czepiel (Botswana 2009–11), Marni von Wilpert (Botswana 2006–08), Felicia Singh (China 2013–15), Jim LaBate (Costa Rica), Polly Dunford (Cote D'Ivoire), Edward Crawford (Dominican Republic 2004–06), Mildred Warner (Ecuador 1979–81), Father Michael Fuller (Eswatini), Christen Marie Smith (Ethiopia 2007–09), Jackson Willis (Guinea), Michael Hotard (Kazakhstan 2009–11), Sandra Nathan (Korea 1966–68), Michael Drake (Kyrgyzstan), Randy Hobler (Libya 1968–69), Zac Schnell (Philippines 2012–14), Cal Mann (Macedonia 2017–20), Kyle Fredrickson (Mexico 2014–16), Katie Murray (Mongolia), Shenna Bellows (Panama 2000–02), Christopher Davenport (Papua New Guinea 1994–96), Estee Katcoff (Paraguay 2011–14), Jet Richardson (Senegal 2008–10), Adeel Amed (Tanzania), Kari Miller (Thailand 1997–99), Dick Sandler (Thailand), Melissa Wurst (Thailand 1989–92), Renee Manneh (Uganda 2007–09), Brianna Russell (Vanuatu 2008–10). 

Achievements in the Peace Corps community from across the country — and around the world

By Peter Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

From new books to leadership roles, working with students and refugees, in conservation and the church. Plus a story of gratitude for all the Volunteers who served in Korea — with a thank-you and help in a time of pandemic.

Photo: Shenna Bellows, who served as a Volunteer in Panama, is sworn in as Maine’s Secretary of State — the first woman to serve in that role. 

BOTSWANA

Connie Czepiel (2009–11) has a career in international finance. She is also recently author of Dream On! The Alarm Clock of Your Life Hasn’t Gone Off Yet, a chronicle of her overseas work for Mission Aviation Fellowship, Peace Corps, Mercy Ships, and Samaritan’s Purse.

Marni von Wilpert (2006–08) was one of five new members joining the San Diego City Council in December 2020. She was a social worker for the Peace Corps in Botswana during an AIDS epidemic there, providing experience with virus testing and contact tracing for today’s pandemic. 

CHINA

Felicia Singh (2013–15) is a Democratic Party candidate for New York City District Council 32, with education reform as a major campaign objective along with utility management and women’s empowerment. The election will be held in June 2021.
 

COSTA RICA

Jim LaBate began his Peace Corps service in the mid-1970s in Costa Rica. He recently retired from Hudson Valley Community College where has was a writing specialist. His sixth novel, Streets of Golfito, published in 2020 is loosely based on his Peace Corps experience. 

COTE D’IVOIRE

Polly Dunford was named president and CEO of IntraHealth International, a large global health organization based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina just as Covid-19 was emerging as a threat to the world.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Edward Crawford (2004–06) is the co-founder and president of Coltala Holdings in Dallas, Texas. He recently announced a $150 million partnership with Trive Capital. He has authored works regarding “conscious capitalism” and the potential rise of this socially responsible economic and political philosophy. Crawford is also in the inaugural cohort of the National Peace Corps Association 40 Under 40.

ECUADOR

Mildred Warner (1979–81) received the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Inc. (ACSP) Margarita McCoy Faculty Award for the advancement of women in planning in higher education through service, teaching, and research in November 2020. 

ESWATINI

Father Michael Fuller, a priest of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, has been named associate general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2020. Before arriving at the USCCB, he served as chairman of the Department of Spiritual Theology from 2011 to 2016 and chairman of the Department of Christian Life from 2002 to 2011 (University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary). He also was editor of the Chicago Studies Theological Journal.

ETHIOPIA

Christen Marie Smith (2007–09) has taken a new role as Vice President of LMI federal health and civilian market. She aims to continue LMI's efforts to help government customers manage health care delivery and federal work environments as well as drive scientific and space innovation efforts.

GUINEA

Jackson Willis has been named a Rhodes Scholar in the first-ever virtual selection process, necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will pursue Master of Science degrees in economics for development and in global governance and diplomacy at Oxford.

KAZAKHSTAN

Michael Hotard (2009–11) manages research projects related to undocumented immigrants and health care at Stanford University’s Immigration Policy Lab. In late October 2020 he discussed the experiences and struggles that have shaped his career in an online presentation to current Stevenson Center Fellows at Illinois State University.

KOREA

Sandra Nathan (1966–68) was among the Korea RPCVs who received a surprising gift from the people in her Peace Corps community more than fifty years earlier – a "COVID-19 Survival Box."  The box containing expressions of concern and support was sent to former Volunteers who served in Korea during the early 1960s. Here’s the story from The New York Times.

KYRGYZSTAN

Michael Drake is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Taza Aya (“fresh air” in Krygyz). The company has been named an awardee in the Invisible Shield QuickFire Challenge, a competition created by Johnson & Johnson Innovation in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The program seeks protections from airborne viruses with minimal impact on daily life.

LIBYA

Randy Hobler (1968–69) interviewed 101 of his fellow RPCVs in depth for his new book: 101 Arabian Tales: How We All Persevered in Peace Corps Libya.

PHILIPPINES

Zac Schnell (2012–14) was named the Pamlico Community College’s 2020 Instructor of the Year. He also began assisting with Occupational Safety and Health Administration training for Continuing Education students.

MACEDONIA

Cal Mann (2017–20) will share his experience as a Rotarian serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Eastern Europe before the 2020 pandemic evacuation. Tune in on February 11, 2021 with the Rotary Club of Northfield at 12:00 PM via Zoom (Meeting ID: 853 8396 5788; Passcode: 601997).

MEXICO

Kyle Fredrickson (2014–16) is District Forester for Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District. His work with an aerial drone for conservation purposes in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region has deepened understanding and created new educational opportunities. “To cross a wetland, it could take two to three hours to reach the site,” Hughes told a reporter recently. “The drone can do it in five minutes, plus we can’t get that perspective from the ground.”  

MONGOLIA

Katie Murray is the new executive director of Oregonians for Food & Shelter (OFS), a nonprofit agribusiness group. At OFS she aims to safeguard necessary tools for natural resource industries while ensuring users aren’t left without alternatives if regulatory changes occur.

PANAMA

Shenna Bellows (2000–02) has been elected by Maine’s 130th Legislature to be Maine's new secretary of state. She is the first woman elected to serve in the role. During her remarks at her swearing-in in January, she noted that her grandmother, who celebrated her 101st birthday just days prior, was born in the year that saw the final ratification of the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Christopher Davenport (1994–96) published the memoir Tin Can Crucible through Lume Books in December 2020. The title, an account of modern-day sorcery, was previously available via NetGalley. The author is a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State.

PARAGUAY

Estee Katcoff (2011–14) founded in 2016 the Superkids Foundation, a nonprofit in Paraguay that fills in literacy gaps and trains students to be educational leaders. In 2017 she founded GMAT/GRE test prep company PrepCorps in Seattle to recruit top test-takers to teach courses while fundraising $60,000+ for international education.

SENEGAL

Jet Richardson (2008–10) has completed his first year as Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Tri-County Partners.  Prior to that he has completed nearly four years with the International Crisis Group — an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to preventing and resolving deadly conflict.

TANZANIA

Adeel Amed has been appointed by the University of Nevada, Reno, Extension, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources as Lyon County educator, focusing on community and economic development. He was born in Pakistan and immigrated to the United States as a child before entering college and serving in the Peace Corps.

THAILAND

Kari Miller (1997–99) is the Founder and Executive Director of International Neighbors. She works with Charlottesville, Virginia's refugee and SIV population (special immigrant visa holders, who worked for the United States during the conflicts in Afghanistan or Iraq), equipping these new neighbors with the network and skills needed for them to thrive — not just to survive — as aspiring Americans.

Dick Sandler is known as Thailand’s “Grandfather of eco-tourism” and was one of the early pioneers in Thailand’s now burgeoning eco-tourism sector.  A Fulbright scholarship in research economics led to him joining Peace Corps staff in Thailand. He has also worked for the United Nations Development Fund and the World Bank, focusing on rural development projects. His latest resort project in Thailand is Our Jungle Camp in Khao Sok.

Melissa Wurst (1989–92) is the owner and founding member of Language Solutions, Inc. Founded in 1998, the enterprise is assisting those with limited literacy, translation, and interpreting skills.

UGANDA

Renee Manneh (2007–09) is a doctoral candidate at Campbell University for a degree in Health Sciences. She is the Executive Director at her private practice where she also sees clients as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. 

VANUATU

Brianna Russell (2008–10) is the Founding Executive Director of Girls Leading Girls, Inc., a nonprofit organization in San Francisco that trains young women in leadership and life skills. 

Please share your news with us! Email Peter Deekle.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Martin Puryear (pictured, Sierra Leone 1964–66) internationally renowned American sculptor, has been commissioned to create a site-specific, permanent sculpture for the Storm King Art Center in upstate New York, which is scheduled to be unveiled later this year. Reed Hastings (Swaziland 1983–85) announced in January that he will step down from his role as CEO of Netflix, while remaining as chairman, after leading the company for 25 years. Christopher Dodd (Dominican Republic 1966–68), was appointed as Special Presidential Advisor for the Americas by President Biden in November 2022. We share news about a newly published second book, an entrepreneur using wearable smarttech as part of substance abuse disorder recovery, and more.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

AFGHANISTAN

Elana Hohl (1971–73) published her latest book Into the Revolution, Letters from Iran, 1978-79 in November 2022. It centers around her time training helicopter pilots with her husband for the Imperial Iranian Army Aviation Corps in Iran. Hohl details her family’s best attempts to live a normal life and make an impact amid political instability, martial law, and the events leading up to the Iranian revolution. Into the Revolution arrives a year after Hohl published her first book, A Few Minor Adjustments: Two Years in Afghanistan: A Peace Corps Odyssey — a collection of letters sent home to friends and family during her Peace Corps service. After it was published in 2021, she decided to generously donate the funds earned to organizations supporting women and girls in Afghanistan, including the School of Leadership, Awaken, and the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace.  

COLOMBIA

Chic Dambach (1967–69), NPCA President Emeritus and a distinguished fellow at Oklahoma State University (OSU) has been honored by OSU's School of Global Studies with the creation of a graduate fellowship in his name — the Dambach Peacebuilder Endowed Fellowship. The fellowship program will provide funding for graduate students committed to mastering the theory and practice of global peace, supporting the next generation of peacemakers. Dambach has dedicated his life to service and peace through his work in sports diplomacy, nonprofit management, and peacebuilding — including his efforts to negotiate peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea to end a brutal border war. In 2017, Dambach was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize to recognize his efforts in peacebuilding. Learn more about Dambach and the fellowship program in this article from the latest issue of WorldView.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Christopher Dodd (1966–68) was appointed as Special Presidential Advisor for the Americas by President Biden in November 2022. In his role, he will help advance the implementation of key initiatives President Biden announced at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, which includes spanning economic cooperation, migration, health, human rights, food security, as well as other priorities. He will support preparations for the upcoming Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver in April 2023. Last month, Dodd visited Argentina to meet with the country's U.S. Ambassador as well as other leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean on behalf of the President Biden. Dodd brings to this position more than three decades of experience as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut and has served six years in the House of Representatives. During his career, he has championed legislation supporting areas such as education, health, foreign policy and election reform.

GUATEMALA

Glenn Blumhorst (1988–91), NPCA's longest-serving President and CEO, is the lead fundraiser for the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation (PCCF). His responsibilities will include overseeing a multimillion-dollar capital campaign to underwrite the design and construction of a commemorative work on the National Mall. The commemorative honors the creation of the Peace Corps in 1961 and those aspects of the American character exemplified by Peace Corps service. Read more about Blumhorst's commitment to Peace Corps ideals in this President's Letter found in the latest issue of WorldView.  
 

KYRGYZSTAN

Michael Madon (1994–96), CEO and Co-Founder of Pretaa, announced that the startup would being partnering with Fitbit Health Solutions to incorporate Fitbit’s devices and services into Pretaa's substance abuse recovery process. This partnership allows the startup to use wearable devices — worn by those recovering from substance abuse disorder — to track a wearer’s biometric markers, geographic location, and other signs that they might be struggling with addiction. The Pretaa Fitbit reports and alerts on anomalies are then sent to health care professionals and patients’ support networks, allowing wearer to self-report and reach out for help. While this product first focused on addressing substance abuse, Madon hopes to expand this smarttech's reach to enhance more people's lifestyle. “This is an area that we think desperately needs this sort of approach,” Madon said. “But suicidality, especially among teens and young adults, is another space that we will move into."

MALI

Rahama Wright (2002–04), founder of Shea Yeleen, received Technical.ly's 2022 Invention of the Year Award last December for the Yeleen Beauty Makerspace. The roughly 3,000 square-foot makerspace, which is expected to be complete in late 2023, will feature a teaching lab, manufacturing facility, retail space, and media room for founders. The annual Technical.ly Awards series recognizes impactful leaders, change-making businesses, and innovative technology products making communities better. Voted by the public, the 2022 awards had 25 nominees across five categories and Wright's makerspace received 90 percent of the votes in this category. She intends for the makerspace to uplift small beauty founders looking for assistance. "It's a hybrid,” Wright said. “So we want to accommodate makers and people who want to make products as well as people who just need production and manufacturing services."

NEPAL

Alyssa Mashek (2019–20), a Peace Corps Nepal evacuaee who was forced to her host county after only 15 months of service due to the pandemic, completed a virtual service project last November. During the 18-week project, Mashek helped design a management plan for harvested produce and collaboratively monitored and addressed fruit and nut tree issues related to insects, pests, and diseases. Mashek brought seven years of experience to the table, including experience as a Volunteer working in regenerative agriculture and organic gardening.

SIERRA LEONE

Brittney Nadler (2019–20) was recently awarded a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship along with 45 other recipients. Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, the fellowship prepares recipients for Foreign Service careers in the U.S. Department of State. It includes a two-year master’s degree in an area relevant to the Foreign Service, with extensive mentorship and internship opportunities. Nadler's interest in foreign affairs was ignited at a young age when her mom exposed her to Newsweek magazine and she began reading about global issues. “I began to search online for opportunities to work abroad and came across Peace Corps. I turned to my mom and announced I'd someday join.” she shared in a 2019 interview with the Peace Corps.

Martin Puryear (1964–66), internationally renowned American sculptor, has been commissioned to create a site-specific, permanent sculpture for the Storm King Art Center in upstate New York. The 20 ft tall brick dome-like structure is Puryear's first time working with brick and is scheduled to be unveiled later this year. “This work is different for me because it is permanent, and I’m taking the idea of permanence seriously—from the materials I proposed to work with and the methodology I’m trying to employ,” he said. Puryear infused the sculpture with historical and contemporary references ranging from Nubian vault-building techniques and an ancient building technique using mud bricks and other raw materials to the brick-and-stone Seventh Regiment Armory on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. In 2018, he was chosen to represent the U.S. and help showcase American excellence in the visual arts at the 58th Venice Biennale, one of the most influential international art exhibitions in the world. Last year, Puryear was presented with the 2022 J. Paul Getty Medal, which has been recognizing the extraordinary contributions to the practice, understanding, and support of the arts and humanities since 2013.

SWAZILAND

Reed Hastings (1983–85) in January announced that he will step down from his role as CEO of Netflix, while remaining as chairman. Hastings has led the company for 25 years, dating back to when Netflix's initial rivals were movie rental chains, such as Blockbuster which ceased operating in 2014. Over the years, Hastings has consistently advocated for education reform, charter schools, and online learning. In addition to serving on the board of the California Board of Education and KIPP Foundation, he and his wife donated $120 million to HBCUs in 2020 after the police murder of George Floyd. In 2016, Hastings announced that he would fund a $100 million philanthropic fund focused on education. Prior to his entrepreneurial journey, he served as a Volunteer teaching math at a high school in rural northwest Swaziland. “Once you have hitchhiked across Africa with 10 bucks in your pocket, starting a business doesn't seem too intimidating,” he said.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Megan Ranney (pictured, Côte d'Ivoire 1998–2000), deputy dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health and professor of emergency medicine, became one of 100 newly elected members invited to join the National Academy of Medicine — one of the highest honors in health and medicine. Dr. Evelyn Newman-Phillips, Ph.D (The Gambia 1980–83) was awarded Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU) Distinguished Service Award for the exemplary commitment, vision, and selflessness she has demonstrated to her colleagues, students, and members of the wider social community throughout her 30-year teaching career. Christopher Martin (Ghana 2008–10), nationally renowned furniture design-maker, kicked off this year’s Hyde Lecture Series — held by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Architecture — in late October with his lecture titled “Design Tangents; A Story of Exploration and Common Threads.” We share news about a newly published memoir about the Peace Corps experience of a Volunteer who served in Ethiopia during the late sixties as well as a leader in the field of emerging technology, who recently moderated a Peace Corps Thought Leaders series panel discussion on the ways Peace Corps Volunteers can help shape global development.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

COTE D’IVOIRE

In October, Megan Ranney (1998–2000) became one of 100 newly elected members invited to join the National Academy of Medicine. Recognized as one of the highest honors in health and medicine, the Academy celebrates top professionals who demonstrate outstanding achievements and commitment to service. Ranney currently serves as deputy dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health and is a professor of emergency medicine at the university’s Warren Alpert Medical School. As a dedicated advocate for innovative approaches within the public sector sector, Ranney founded the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health – a hub for creative minds at Brown who use digital solutions to address society’s most pressing health challenges. In March 2020, Ranney co-founded Get Us PPE — a nonprofit that delivered donated personal protective equipment (such as masks, gloves, and isolation gowns) to frontline workers and underserved communities during the pandemic. In response to being elected into the Academy’s 2022 class, Ranney said, “I am beyond honored by this election. The National Academy of Medicine serves as a touchstone for rigorous science and respectful scientific debate. This evidence-centered community matters immensely as we confront multiple medical and public health challenges — particularly in this moment, when science and scientific communication matter so deeply to the world.”

ETHIOPIA

Cindy Mosca (1967–69) recently published Letters from A Wondrous Empire: An Epistolary Memoir, a collection of letters she wrote to her mom and aunt about her Peace Corps experience in Ethiopia. Mosca’s interests in both the Peace Corps and Ethiopia were piqued by a Volunteer who visited her high school to share his Peace Corps experience with her class, a high school friend who wrote letters to Mosca about the people and artwork seen during a visit to Ethiopia, and a 1965 National Geographic special magazine focused on highlighting Ethiopia. Shortly after graduating college, she joined the Peace Corps, serving as an education Volunteer who taught English, history, and geography to seventh through 12th graders at a school in the small town of Woldia, located in northern Ethiopia. Mosca’s experience solidified a lifelong love, appreciation, and passion for serving Ethiopian communities, which continued to inspire her pursuits well beyond the end of her two-year service. More recently, she decided to volunteer in the Peace Corps' Virtual Service program back in February — helping Partners with Education Ethiopia develop English teacher guides as well as brainstorm ideas for interactive class instruction and student engagement with school gardens. As a retiree, she spends her free time supporting Refugee and Immigration Self-Empowerment (RISE) — which allows her to connect with refugee families in her local Indiana community — and the Selamta Family Project, which provides homes for Ethiopian orphans. During the pandemic, she began reading, editing, and writing reflections for the letters during her service and compiled them into her memoir. Driven by her lifelong commitment to teaching and humanitarian services, Mosca donates all the proceeds of her memoir to Ethiopian humanitarian relief efforts.

THE GAMBIA

Dr. Evelyn Newman-Phillips, Ph.D (1980–83) was awarded Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU) Distinguished Service Award, one of the university’s highest honors. Dr. Newman-Philips has been a CCSU faculty member since 1994 and also serves as department chair of anthropology. At the start of her career at CCSU, she joined the African Studies Committee and played a key role in the establishment of the Center for Africana Studies in 2001 — where she has taken up a few directorial roles and developed the center’s annual conference for more than 25 years. CCSU's Distinguished Service Award recognizes members of the CCSU community who have provided exemplary service to the university over an extended period of time, and nominations are submitted by faculty, staff, students, and peers at other institutions of higher learning. “In my teaching, I try to stay open to all the ways people can learn and the ways that culture can constrain our understanding,” said Dr. Newman-Phillips. “I am also passionate about offering my students opportunities to see the world and develop intercultural competence through study abroad programs.” She has also received various awards and honors, such as the CCSU Excellence in Teaching Award, the Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring Award from CCSU’s NAACP student chapter, and the John P. Shaw Community Service Award from the NAACP New Britain Branch in Connecticut. Read how Dr. Newman-Phillips’ Peace Corps experience changed the course of her career.

GHANA

Christopher Burns (1999–2001) served as moderator for the virtual discussion held during the Peace Corps’ Thought Leaders series in July. Burns is the chief digital development officer and director for technology at U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where he leads technical teams focused on emerging technology. Prior to joining USAID, he served nearly 10 years with the Peace Corps as Program and Training Officer in Niger, Country Desk Officer for Central Asia, and Agroforestry Adviser in Ghana. He kicked off the virtual discussion stating how returned Volunteers can serve as powerful conduits to expand the paradigm shift digital technologies have ushered. He was joined by three RPCV technology professionals — Emily Black (Kazakhstan 2010–11), Dr. Hoang Thai Tao (Mozambique 2011–13), and Aaron Simmons (Philippines 2006–08) — who shared their perspectives on leveraging technological trends to impact socioeconomic development and shape global development. Burns wrapped up the conversation by discussing the connections between evolving technologies and the ways they can drive local solutions, voice, agency, and empowerment in the communities served by the Peace Corps. Watch the full recording of the panel discussion.
 

Christopher Martin (2008–10), nationally renowned furniture design-maker, kicked off this year’s Hyde Lecture Series — held by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Architecture — in late October with his lecture titled “Design Tangents; A Story of Exploration and Common Threads.” The Hyde Lecture Series is a long-standing, endowed, public program that welcomes experts in the fields of architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and planning to spark enriching, ongoing dialogue surrounding various design disciplines. Back in 2008, Martin left his associate professor job at Iowa State University to serve with Peace Corps Ghana, and his experience have greatly influenced his research and creative endeavors ever since. Martin also received a Fulbright Fellowship in 2016 to spend five months in India working to develop a series of contemporary furniture pieces that honored the richness of India’s traditional craft culture. As founder of Christopher Martin Furniture, he produces a line of small batch furniture pieces for sale online and collaborates with traditional artisans in Ghana and India. His lecture explored his furniture design portfolio, his many sources of inspiration, his fascination with material and process, and the progression of his overall work. “Since serving in the Peace Corps…I have been interested in traditional indigenous arts and artisans and in finding ways to help them achieve sustainable livelihoods while continuing their craft traditions,” said Martin.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Maggie Eckerson (pictured, Belize 2019–20), was awarded two United States Presidential Volunteer Service Awards and the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her service in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. Sabra Ayres (Ukraine 1995–97) was named Chief Correspondent for Ukraine at The Associated Press (AP), leveraging nearly two decades of reporting that covered U.S. state and national politics, international relations, and developing democracies. Bridget Mulkerin (Senegal 2018–20) became the California Cone Corps Manager at American Forests, a nationwide nonprofit committed to protecting and restoring healthy forest ecosystems. We share news about more awards, a newly published memoir, and new roles in USAID El Salvador, universities, and advocacy nonprofits.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.
 

BELIZE

In August, Maggie Eckerson (2019–20) was awarded two United States Presidential Volunteer Service Awards and the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award because of her service in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. Eckerson was serving with the Peace Corps in Belize but had to leave when all Volunteers were brought home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She began serving with AmeriCorps in summer 2020, working in the National Civilian Community Corps program and then Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). For the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, one must contribute more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime. Eckerson was able to achieve this goal through her work in the AmeriCorps in her Independent Service Projects and the year she spent working with The Catholic University of America during her second year with the AmeriCorps. During her time with the Catholic University of America, Eckerson led a program mentoring middle school students to prepare them for college.

ECUADOR

Chris Cushing (1981–84) was appointed the Mission Director to USAID El Salvador in August, overseeing bilateral and regional programs in Central America and Mexico. For nearly a decade, Cushing has served in several leadership roles within USAID, such as Mission Director in Ecuador as well as the Barbados-based USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean Mission before assuming the same role at USAID Haiti from February 2020 to May 2022. Weeks after being sworn into his role in Haiti, Cushing rolled up his sleeves to work with the people of Haiti through the COVID pandemic shutdown, a president assassination, and a devastating earthquake that killed over 2,000 people. During the earthquake in 2021, Cushing coordinated the dispatch of search and rescue teams to communities in southern Haiti at the epicenter of the earthquake. “El Salvador, as we know, has its own significant challenges: a lack of economic opportunity coupled with significant violent crime, including some of the highest rates of femicide in the world,” said USAID Administrator Samantha Power during Cushing’s swearing-in ceremony in August. “[Cushing] has quite the task ahead of him, but I know he is up for it. His caring spirit and caretaker mindset bring reassurance and solace to those around him.”

JORDAN

Maryam Saifee (2000–02) became a Council on Foreign Relations life member in June. The Council on Foreign Relations is a prestigious membership, including over 5,000 prominent leaders in the foreign policy arena. For more than a decade, Saifee has worked with the U.S. Department of State. She is currently serving as a senior advisor in the Secretary’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Prior to embarking on her career within the U.S. Foreign Service, Saifee was a consultant for the Ford Foundation, designing outreach and recruitment strategy for senior staff in Ford’s human rights, asset-building, and reproductive rights portfolios. After completing her Peace Corps service in Jordan, she served with AmeriCorps and supported South Asian survivors of domestic violence. In 2016, Saifee published an opinion piece in The Guardian sharing her personal story as a survivor of female genital cutting.

KENYA

Josh Josa (2010–12) was honored with the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, an honor reserved for the most innovative and exceptional federal workers. As a member of the Deaf community and a first-generation Hungarian-American, Josa’s commitment to equity and inclusion in education is fueled by his first-hand experience with the stigma, barriers, and lack of resources students with disabilities face in school. While working as an inclusive education specialist at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Josa has sought to design and implement programs delivering quality, equitable, and inclusive education to all children and youth. He has worked tirelessly to advance educational inclusivity for students with disabilities, whether it be in Morocco, Kenya, or the United States.

LESOTHO

Quintella Cobb (2019–20) took on a new role as Wellness Educator at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, beginning in September. She had been serving as a health promotion specialist at Tulane University. With the Peace Corps, Cobb served as an HIV/AIDS and Adolescent Health Volunteer. In March 2020, she and all other Volunteers were brought home because of COVID-19. 

MAURITANIA

Katie Baird (1984–87) published a new memoir, Growing Mangos in the Desert, chronicling her Peace Corps service in a Mauritanian village during a catastrophic drought and the relationships and change she nurtured over the four decades that followed. Baird is a professor of economics at the University of Washington in Tacoma. With expertise in public economics and public policy, Baird worked for policy organizations in Washington, D.C., and Cambridge, Massachusetts, before embarking on her career in academia. For three years, she was a public affairs columnist for The News Tribune in Tacoma.

SENEGAL

Bridget Mulkerin (2018–20) became the California Cone Corps Manager at American Forests, a nationwide nonprofit committed to protecting and restoring healthy forest ecosystems. Mulkerin’s responsibilities will involve building capacity of cone collection and creating resilient forests across California. Mulkerin served in Peace Corps Senegal, focusing on agroforestry. Her Peace Corps service fueled her interest in pursuing a master’s in international environmental policy from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. “From a young age, I enjoyed exploring the woods behind my childhood home,” says Mulkerin when discussing why she is grateful for her job at American Forests. “As I got older, I appreciated the opportunities I had to travel and explore forests all over the world. Further understanding forest ecosystems and the services they provide for all life; I have been driven to protect them.”

TANZANIA

Amy Runyon Harms (1997–2000) has been appointed Senior Vice President of Operations and Strategy at Inseparable — an advocacy nonprofit championing for mental health policies that help the U.S. heal and thrive. Harms brings to the role over 20 years of direct service, foundation, and advocacy experience, including directorial positions at The Gill Foundation, ProgressNow Colorado, and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM). During her time with PPRM, Harms served as director of political outreach and focused on electing political supporters of pro-family planning policies, comprehensive sex education, and full access to women’s reproductive health care.

Mario Lopez-Rodriguez (2019–20) is completing a master’s in public health at Emory University. With the Peace Corps, he served as a community health extension officer in the village of Kidogozero. “My service as a Peace Corps volunteer helped define my passion for global health,” he said in a recent interview. “It allowed me the opportunity to learn, live and work with a community that I wouldn’t have interacted with otherwise. It also taught me the importance of cultural humility and putting effort into learning about the communities I seek to serve.” Born in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas in 1993, Lopez-Rodriguez emigrated to Tennessee with his family in 2000. He completed a bachelor’s in nursing at the University of Memphis.

UKRAINE

Sabra Ayres (1995–97) was named Chief Correspondent for Ukraine at The Associated Press (AP) last month. In this new role, Ayres will manage and coordinate AP’s all-format coverage of Ukraine, including text, photography, and video storytelling. Ayres has nearly two decades of reporting that covered U.S. state and national politics, international relations, and developing democracies — with bylines from Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, Europe and India. Ayres was the 2016 recipient of the Front Page Marie Colvin Award for Best Foreign Correspondence for her coverage of Ukraine and Europe’s migrant crisis. She also taught journalism at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul and worked as a visiting professor at the India Institute of Journalism and New Media in Bangalore.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Bill Owens (pictured, Jamaica 1964–66), beer enthusiast and famed photojournalist, published the interactive graphic novel, The Delco Years: A Dystopian Novel, in April. Cindy Nofziger (Sierra Leone 1985–87) cut the ribbon on the 42nd school building she helped construct after founding Schools for Salone — an organization focused on improving education and building schools in Sierra Leone’s rural villages. Andre and Kjessie Essue (Lesotho 1967–68) founded Barn Swallow Gardens — a family farm for mountain-grown, seasonal flowers that began offering a subscription delivery service for fresh flowers after California’s devastating 2021 Dixie Fire to help rebuild their local community’s economy. We share news about more awards, books, advocacy, and new roles from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

BENIN

In August, President Biden announced that he intends to nominate Arthur W. Brown (1991–95) to serve as U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Ecuador. Brown, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, has served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe since 2021. He was USAID Mission Director in Harare 2020–21. He was USAID Director in the Dominican Republic for four years and, before that, USAID Director at the U.S. Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua. Brown has served in Kabul, Afghanistan, and in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, as USAID Deputy Director. Other assignments include Botswana, Guinea, Nigeria, and regional activities in Sierra Leone, Haiti, Jamaica, Barbados, and Namibia. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Brown served as a Rural Community Development Extension Agent.

CHINA

Weijin “Gina” Leow (2014–16) serves as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at PBS, a post she has held since November 2021. She helps oversee DEI initiatives within PBS, including coordination of the DEI Council and related Committees, Employee Resource Groups, DEI messaging and events, employee training and education, restorative justice practices, reports and other initiatives. Leow also serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the New York City Peace Corps Association. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Leow served in Miangyang, Sichuan, where she taught undergraduate students at Mianyang Teachers College.

IRAN

Skip Auld (1973–74) met with staff of Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in August to advocate for the U.S. return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — an agreement reached in 2015 on the Iranian nuclear program. During the meeting, Auld was joined by fellow RPCVs Patricia Wand (Colombia 1963–65) and Peter Deekle (Iran 1968–70). Auld has served as the Chief Executive Officer at Anne Arundel County Public Library for more than a decade.

JAMAICA

Bill Owens (1964–66), beer enthusiast and famed photojournalist, published the interactive graphic novel titled The Delco Years: A Dystopian Novel in April. The novel tells the story of a pandemic mitigated by drinking unpasteurized beer and the community of craft beer drinkers who flourish and survive after the dystopian event. Owens' passion for beer predates his novel and stretches as far back to the early 1980s. He helped launch the U.S. craft beer movement by advocating for the overturn of the tied-house restriction then present in California, prohibiting a brewer or brewery to sell directly to the public. By 1983, the passing of the landmark California Assembly Bill 3610 officially legalized brewpubs in California, and Owens’ dream of opening his own brewpub, Buffalo Bill’s Brewery, became a reality. Owens continued to be a fierce advocate for the assembly bill and its extension across the nation. Over the years, Owens has published the book How to Build a Small Brewery as well as a series of maps which chronicled the early craft beer movement in Northern California and magazines such as American Brewer and Beer.

LESOTHO

Andre and Kjessie Essue (1967–68) founded Barn Swallow Gardens — a family farm for mountain-grown, seasonal flowers — located in Taylorsville, California. Named for the birds who return each spring after long migrations, Barn Swallow Gardens began offering a subscription delivery service for fresh flowers nine months after California’s devastating 2021 Dixie Fire to help rebuild the local community’s economy. Shortly after the fire, Kjessie Essue applied to and received a scholarship with Floret, a leader in the local flower movement that offered a six-week intensive course in business and marketing. In her essay required for the scholarship, she wrote, “We need beauty like never before, and I have deep clarity that flowers is the direction I need to take our small farm. Creating beauty is an act of love.” During Barn Swallow Gardens’ first week, the subscriptions sold out mostly due to customers outside the area who were buying flowers for friends impacted by the fire. The Essue family aims to expand the business over the coming years to include more services, such as classes and a garden for tourists. 

MOROCCO

Alex Garcia (2007–09) is taking on a new role as Deputy Director of AmeriCorps-NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). “I am incredibly excited to return to the AmeriCorps / National Service family, with which I've had previous experience as an employee of a national direct grantee and as Chairman of the Maryland Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism,” he wrote. For nearly seven years, Garcia worked with Peace Corps Response, first as a recruitment specialist, and for the past four years as chief of operations. In 2021, Peace Corps Response celebrated its 25th anniversary. It was also through Peace Corps Response that Volunteers were deployed domestically in 2021 to assist with community vaccination efforts in the United States. Those efforts shaped a special edition of WorldView magazine.  

Greg Moydell (1990–92) joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as a park ranger on Fort Gibson Lake in Oklahoma. Moydell worked for Nature Conservancy as a stewardship biologist prior to serving as a high school science teacher and robotics instructor for more than two decades. As park ranger, Moydell’s responsibilities include performing visitor assistance activities, patrolling properties owned and managed by USACE, and performing environmental management stewardship activities. When talking about his job, Moydell said, “One of the biggest rewards is working to provide safe recreational opportunities for the public and working on ecological and environmental projects, but there are several challenges like trying to get everything done in a timely manner with the funding that is available, and the search and recovery of drowning victims is the most difficult duty.”

SENEGAL

Marc-Vincent Jackson (1986–89) won the 2022 Maria Thomas Fiction Award for his debut novel, A Thousand Points of Light, inspired by his Peace Corps service. A Thousand Points of Light is a tale exploring interwoven lives and voices in 1980s Senegal. Presented since 1990 by Peace Corps Writers, the award is named in honor of novelist Roberta Worrick (Ethiopia 1971–73) who wrote under the pen name Maria Thomas and died in a plane crash in 1989. Jackson has worked as an educator specializing in world languages for nearly three decades and taught three different languages across three continents.

SIERRA LEONE

Cindy Nofziger (1985–87) cut the ribbon on the 42nd school building she helped construct after founding Schools for Salone — an organization focused on improving education and building schools in Sierra Leone’s rural villages. Since the inception of Schools for Salone, Nofziger has also established three libraries, built numerous water wells, and provided thousands of scholarships and books to support children from low-income communities in Sierra Leone. Schools for Salone conducts reproductive health education for girls and boys as well as distributes Days for Girls menstruation kits. On September 17, 2022, Schools for Salone will host its annual fundraising gala in Seattle to raise funding to build more schools, train more teachers, and give the gift of learning to children in vulnerable communities across Sierra Leone.

STAFF

Mark Gearan, who served as Director of the Peace Corps 1995–99, has returned to lead The Hobart and William Smith Colleges as president. He stepped down from his post leading the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School to take on the role as president. For Gearan, it’s a return to familiar territory; he served as president of Hobart and William Smith 1999–2017 and led work to double the schools’ endowment. Gearan served as the 14th Director of the Peace Corps under President Clinton, and under him the agency launched Crisis Corps — now known as Peace Corps Response — to leverage the experience and commitment of the Peace Corps community through short-term, high-impact assignments around the world. Gearan’s previous roles in American politics and government include White House Communications Director and White House Deputy Chief of Staff. He has served as the Vice Chair for National and Public Service of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service; read more about that here.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Kit Evans-Ford (pictured), who served as a Volunteer in St. Kitts & Nevis 2007–08, was awarded the 2022 Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award for her efforts to provide refuge and support for women healing from sexual violence. Hoang Thai Tao (Mozambique 2011–13) spoke at the 2022 Peace Corps Thought Leaders Forum in July, sharing his perspective on harnessing emerging technology trends to maximize social impact and economic development. Internationally acclaimed photographer Alissa Everett (Senegal 1995–97) has produced a digital catalog of her latest exhibition, Covering Beauty, which seeks to capture “moments of unexpected beauty” within places of conflict. We share news about more awards, honors, books, and new roles from the White House to The New York Times.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

ANTIGUA

Jennifer Rochon (1992–94) was confirmed to a seat in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is the first judge nominated by President Biden to the district to be confirmed and fits with his track record of appointing judges with varied professional backgrounds. Prior to her nomination, Rochon had served as the Girl Scouts of America general counsel since 2013. She brings to the new role 13 years of experience as a litigation partner for Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, where she handled antitrust cases and false advertising disputes. When describing how her previous work has prepared her, Rochan says, “Judges have an important role in society in terms of making sure people get a full and fair process. As a litigator, I experienced that in advocating for my clients, but I always thought it would be fantastic to be able to be in a position to make sure people receive that type of process.”  

BOTSWANA

Hoor Qureshi (2019–20) was promoted from staff assistant to Chief of Staff for the White House’s Office of Digital Strategy — a department that manages the President’s online communications across social media, digital influencers, and creative production. Being a 2019 Mercer University graduate who double-majored in global health studies and global development studies, Qureshi joined the Peace Corps, where she taught life skills and career guidance to Botswana’s youth. When it comes to her preparation for the Peace Corps, she credits her professors in the Department of International and Global Studies with whom she took many trips abroad to South Africa, Dubai, and Japan. That international travel during her undergraduate experience shaped her perspective of the world. Prior to working with the Office of Digital Strategy, Qureshi was an online community organizer for a couple political campaigns — including President Biden’s 2020 campaign — cultivating relationships with and distributing information to online communities. 

EL SALVADOR

John Thorndike (1967–68) recently published his biographical novel, The World Against Her Skin: A Son’s Novel. The book tells the story of Thorndike’s mother, exploring her life, struggles, and marriages while taking on delicate subjects such as addiction and sexual abuse. This book follows the heels of his award-winning memoir The Last of His Mind, in which he discusses the heart-wrenching fight his father — former managing editor of Life magazine — fought against Alzheimer’s, losing his ability to think, speak, and write.

MICRONESIA

Megan McCrea (2007–09) has been hired by The New York Times as senior staff editor of its Special Sections wing of the Print Hub. A Brooklyn-based journalist, she has worked as an editor at Via and Sunset magazines and has written about travel, people, arts and culture, and food and drink for more than a decade. As an editor, she has shaped written pieces exploring topics such as the evolution of Oakland and the best-kept secrets in Yellowstone. McCrea’s Peace Corps experience informed her writing, motivating her to co-author Other Places Publishing’s guidebook to her country of service, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. Her stories have appeared in publications such as Better Homes & Gardens, the San Francisco Chronicle, and Condé Nast Traveler.

MOROCCO

Justin Bibee (2012–14) is among the forty 2022 honorees celebrated by the Providence Business News, which select based on career success and involvement within their communities. Bibee is a refugee resettlement case manager.

Liz Fanning (1993–95) received the 2022 John F. Kennedy Service Awards in May. Every five years, Peace Corps presents the JFK Service Awards to honor members of the Peace Corps network whose contributions go above and beyond for the agency and America every day. Fanning is the Founder and Executive Director of CorpsAfrica, which she launched in 2011 to give emerging leaders in Africa the same opportunities she had to learn, grow, and make an impact. She has worked for a wide range of nonprofit organizations during her career, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Schoolhouse Supplies, and the Near East Foundation.

MOZAMBIQUE

Hoang Thai Tao (2011–13) spoke at the 2022 Peace Corps Thought Leaders Forum — among professionals in the fields of international development and technology who shared their perspectives on leveraging emerging technology trends to maximize social impact and economic development. The panel also discussed how Peace Corps Volunteers can contribute to this endeavor.

NEPAL

Ron Ranson (1964–66), a lecturer in the University of California San Diego’s theatre and dance department for more than two decades, produced the documentary Tattooed Trucks of Nepal — Horn Please. Ranson’s 40-minute documentary pays tribute to the quirky tradition that finds Nepali truckers going to great, creative lengths to turn their vehicles into rolling pieces of uplifting art. His exploration began after he was intrigued by an article in a Nepali newspaper about truck and bus painting. He worked with Nepali filmmakers Sudarson Karki and Dhawa Gyanjen Tsumba, who also collaborated with him on an earlier film project, The Prayer Flags of Nepal. Tattooed Trucks of Nepal has won numerous awards, including for Ranson’s voice-over narration as well as the film’s editing, cinematography, and music. In 2021, the film won Best Documentary honors at multiple festivals, including the Cannes World Film Festival and the New Wave Film Festival in London.

NICARAGUA

Jenn Rowley (2014–16) and Joe Daniels (2013–15) recently trained Nicaraguan contractors to make the famous Peace Corps improved wood ovens with Sister Communities of San Ramon, Nicaragua. Vented to the outside, these eco-friendly ovens keep smoke and other residue from polluting the air inside buildings. Rowley and Daniels met during their Volunteer service, both assigned to the department of Matagalpa. Five years later, Daniels called Rowley inviting her to help train contractors on how to make these wooden stoves, to which she immediately agreed. With previous experience building 18 eco-friendly stoves as an environmental Volunteer, Daniels was familiar with these projects, through which families would purchase 20 percent of the materials while volunteers helped procure the rest of the locally sourced materials. By the end of their stay in Nicaragua, Rowley and Daniels worked with local contractors to build six ovens with 14 additional ovens in the process of being completed.

PANAMA

Karla Yvette Sierra (2010–12, Response 2012–13) received the 2022 John F. Kennedy Service Awards in May. Born in El Paso, Texas, to Mexican American parents, Sierra graduated from Colorado Christian University with a bachelor’s in business administration and a minor in computer information systems. Elected by her peers and professors, Sierra was appointed to serve as the Chi Beta Sigma president as well as the secretary for the student government association. Sierra volunteered with Westside Ministries as a youth counselor in inner city Denver. Shortly after completing her Master of Business Administration at the University of Texas at El Paso, she started working for Media News Group’s El Paso Times before being promoted to The Gazette in Colorado. Sierra served as a Volunteer in Panama for three years as a community economic development consultant focused on efforts to reduce poverty, increase awareness of HIV and AIDS, and assist in the implementation of sustainable projects that would benefit her Panamanian counterparts. Her Peace Corps experience serving the Hispanic community fuels her on-going work and civic engagement with Hispanic communities in the United States.

THE PHILIPPINES

Roberto. M. “Ambet” Yangco, who has worked with Peace Corps staff in the Philippines since 2002, is a recipient of the John F. Kennedy Service Award. A social worker by training, he started his career as an HIV/AIDS outreach worker for Children’s Laboratory Foundation. He then served as a street educator in a shelter for street children and worked for World Vision as a community development officer. Twenty years ago, Yangco joined Peace Corps Philippines as a youth sector technical trainer. It wasn’t long before he moved up to regional program manager; then sector manager for Peace Corps’ Community, Youth, and Family Program; and now associate director for programming and training during the pandemic.

ROMANIA

Carol Spahn (1994–96) was officially nominated by President Biden for the position of Director of the Peace Corps in April. She began serving as acting director in January 2021 and has led the agency since, during one of the most challenging periods in Peace Corps history. Prior to serving as acting director and now CEO of the Peace Corps, Spahn served as chief of operations in the Africa Region covering Eastern and Southern Africa, and before that, served a five-year term as country director of Peace Corps Malawi. Her Peace Corps roots extend back to her service as a small business advisor in Romania 1994–96. She has more than 25 years of experience in international development, business, health, and women’s empowerment including work with Women for Women International — which supports female survivors of war — and Accordia Global Health Foundation — which helps fight infectious disease in Africa. A date for a confirmation hearing on her nomination has not yet been scheduled.

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

Kit Evans-Ford (2007–08) was awarded the 2022 Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award from the Wesleyan Investive — a national nonprofit that has invested in innovative spiritual leadership for 50 years. Evans-Ford is an adjunct professor in the department of theology at St. Ambrose University and an action outreach organizer for Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service, which specializes in nonviolence training. As a survivor of and witness to sexual violence with 14 years of experience in nonviolence education, Evans-Ford also founded Argrow’s House of Healing and Hope, a social enterprise supporting the healing journey of female survivors of domestic abuse or sexual violence. “This work is not easy. It is a lifetime commitment that takes a lot of energy and personal resources,” Evans-Ford said, after becoming one of four spiritual leaders to receive this year’s award. “To be blessed by this award is very affirming and lets me know this work is not in vain.”

SENEGAL

Dr. Mamadou Diaw, who served with Peace Corps staff in Senegal 1993–2019, is a recipient of the 2022 John F. Kennedy Service Award. Born in Dakar, he studied abroad and graduated in forestry sciences and natural resource management from the University of Florence and the Overseas Agronomic Institute of Florence. He joined the Peace Corps in 1993 as Associate Peace Corps Director (APCD) for Natural Resource Management. In that capacity, he managed agroforestry, environmental education, park and wildlife, and ecotourism projects. From 1996 to 2001, he served as the coordinator of the USAID funded Community Training Center Program. In 2008, he switched sectors, becoming Senior APCD Health and Environmental Education. He received a master’s degree in environmental health in 2014 from the University of Versailles, and a doctorate in community health from the University of Paris Saclay, at the age of 62. Dr. Diaw coached more than 1,000 Volunteers and several APCDs from the Africa region, notably supporting Peace Corps initiatives in the field of malaria and maternal and child health. He retired from Peace Corps toward the end of 2019 and is currently working as an independent consultant.

Alissa Everett (1995–97), a critically acclaimed photographer, has produced a digital catalog of her latest exhibition, Covering Beauty, which is on display for the 59th Venice Biennale as part of Personal Structures at the European Cultural Centre until November 2022. Covering Beauty draws upon work spanning Everett’s entire career — from the war in Iraq to the latest conflict in Ukraine, traveling with the International Organisation for Migration to capture humanitarian response efforts. “I would describe myself as a documentary photographer rather than conflict photographer,” Everett says. “What speaks to me the most are moments of unexpected beauty that happen in our daily lives, in both conflict and non-conflict zones.”

ZAMBIA

Genevieve de los Santos Evenhouse (2007–08; Guyana, 2008–09; Uganda, 2015–16,) was one of the five recipients of the 2022 John F. Kennedy Service Awards for tirelessly embodying the spirit of service to help advance world peace and friendship. She grew up in the Philippines, then emigrated to the United States in 1997. Evenhouse pursued a career at the intersection of nursing, public service, and volunteerism, earning her doctor of nursing practice in 2020 — while continuing to serve as a full-time school nurse for the San Francisco Unified School District, where she has served since 2009.

Holly Rendle (1996–97) co-founded Books 4 Zambia, leveraging the connections made during her Peace Corps tour in the country to provide books to communities lacking these educational materials. She and her husband have sent supplies to the African country several times over the last two decades under the name Project Zambia.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Jamie Hopkins, who served as a Volunteer in Ukraine 1996–98, leads the Eagan Community Foundation in Minnesota and spearheaded a three-day film festival in support of Ukraine in April and May. Krista Kinnard (Ecuador 2010–21) has been named a 2022 finalist for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, for her work spearheading new, efficiency-boosting and cost effective technologies for the Department of Labor (DOL). Rob Schmitz (China 1996–98) had a stint as guest host of NPR’s All Things Considered radio show. Tommy Vinh Bui (Kazakhstan 2011) was nominated as Local Hero of the Week for his good deeds and unwavering commitment to serving his Los Angeles community during the COVID-19 pandemic. We share news about more awards, medals, and director roles.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

CHINA

Rob Schmitz (1996–98) became a guest host of NPR’s All Things Considered radio show in late April. As NPR’s Central Europe Correspondent, Schmitz covers the human stories of a vast region, such as Germany’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic, rise of right-wing nationalist politics in Poland and creeping Chinese government influence inside the Czech Republic. Before reporting on Europe, Schmitz worked as a foreign correspondent covering China and its economic rise and increasing global influence for a decade. He also authored the award-winning book Street of Eternal Happiness: Big City Dreams Along a Shanghai Road which profiles the lives of individuals residing along a single street in the heart of Shanghai. During his first week as guest host, Schmitz talked with a Shanghai resident who discussed her experience with Shanghai’s zero-COVID strategy and the recent pandemic restrictions. Listen here.

COSTA RICA

Lane Bunkers (1989–91) took on responsibilities as of Peace Corps Country Director of Costa Rica in March. Bunkers steps into this new position a year before Peace Corps Costa Rica’s 60th anniversary and amidst the first wave of Volunteers returning to service overseas. In his director’s welcome, Bunkers wrote, “In Costa Rica, the pandemic impacted the social, economic, and political environment, as it did throughout the world. The country’s recovery will take time, and Peace Corps is well-positioned to support the communities where our Volunteers serve.” He brings an extensive career in leadership and international development, including three years serving as Peace Corps program and training officer in Romania and in the Eastern Caribbean. Prior to his new role, Bunkers worked for Catholic Relief Services for more than two decades. While there he oversaw a $25 million annual budget invested in initiatives ranging from water and food aid for drought-stricken regions to improving educational outcomes for malnourished children.

ECUADOR

Krista Kinnard (2010–2012) was named a 2022 finalist for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, for her work spearheading new, efficiency-boosting and cost effective technologies for the Department of Labor (DOL). Since starting her role as DOL’s chief of emerging technologies in 2021, Kinnard has focused on ways to use artificial intelligence, automation, and machine learning to reduce the time employees spend on repetitive tasks. She also collaborated with the department to establish a technology incubator, inviting DOL staff to propose ideas that could benefit agencies and the public. Before working at DOL, Kinnard was the director of the U.S. General Service Administration’s Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence. Her data-driven expertise sharpened during her Peace Corps service where she was able to apply her quantitative skills to real-world problems. Afterward, she pursued a master’s in data analytics and public policy before building AI and machine learning tools for federal clients as a data scientist at IBM.

GUYANA

Dr. Nadine Rogers, who serves as country director for Peace Corps Guyana, is a 2022 recipient of the Global Achievement Award from the Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association. “This well-deserved and extraordinary accomplishment highlights her incredible contributions in the international arena," says Peace Corps CEO Carol Spahn. Dr. Rogers has almost 30 years of experience in management, health policy implementation, science administration, and education and communications across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. She has previously served as a foreign service officer at the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator under the U.S. State Department, and for 10 years she worked at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, handling scientific review of multi-million dollar research grant applications focused on HIV/AIDS prevention and services in populations at risk-for or addicted to drugs, both domestically and internationally. She has served the U.S. government across the globe, including in Vietnam, Cambodia, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Africa, Zambia, and in the Caribbean.

KAZAKHSTAN

Tommy Vinh Bui (2011) was nominated as Local Hero of the Week in April for his good deeds and unwavering commitment to serving his community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bui was working as a Los Angeles Teen and Adult Services Librarian when the pandemic shut down libraries. With a love for his community and a penchant for service, he sprang into action seeking ways to help such as donating blood to the Red Cross to help with the blood shortage; delivering convalescent plasma to hospitals around and outside of Los Angeles; assisting Project Roomkey — an initiative started by the California Department of Social Services, providing shelter for unhoused people recovering from or exposed to COVID-19 — in its efforts to help vulnerable people get off the streets and find resources. As part of the last cohort to serve in Kazakhstan, Bui’s Peace Corps service began in March 2011. He served as a community development and education Volunteer until he was evacuated in November of that same year and credits his experience as a major contributor to his personal and professional growth.
 

KENYA

Josh Josa (2010–12) is a 2022 finalist for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, an honor reserved for the most innovative and exceptional federal workers. As a member of the Deaf community and a first-generation Hungarian-American, Josa’s commitment to equity and inclusion in education is fueled by his first-hand experience with the stigma, barriers, and lack of resources students with disabilities face in school. While working as an inclusive education specialist at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Josa has sought to design and implement programs delivering quality, equitable, and inclusive education to all children and youth. He has worked tirelessly to advance educational inclusivity for students with disabilities, whether it be in Morocco, Kenya, or the United States.

LESOTHO

Travis Wohlrab (2013–15) received the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for developing a livestream production capability and supporting agency communications programs. This medal recognizes those who significantly improve NASA’s day-to-day operations. Wohlrab is the engagement officer at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where he has worked since the end of his Peace Corps service. During the onset of COVID-19, Wohlrab used his video production expertise to produce livestream events — such as Town Halls and public outreach events — which were crucial to helping the center continue to disseminate information and operate as it had before the pandemic.

NEPAL

Lowell Hurst (1976–78) received the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award, along with his wife Wendy, from the Pajaro Valley Chamber Of Commerce and Agriculture. Hurst has dedicated his life to education, public service, and volunteerism starting with his Peace Corps service — followed by the more than three decades he spent teaching science and horticulture at Watsonville High School. In 1989, he was elected to the Watsonville City Council, served on the body for three stints over three decades, and served three mayoral terms, retiring from the political arena after his final term.

NICARAGUA

Heather Laird was appointed the new medical director of Volunteers in Medicine Clinic of the Cascades (VIM) in April. She first got involved with VIM by serving as a volunteer nurse practitioner in 2013, while working at her full-time job in telemedicine. Laird shifted away from telemedicine to work with patients in person at Mosaic Medical — a community-founded health center focused on making high-quality healthcare available to Central Oregonians, regardless of life circumstances. Inspired by her Peace Corps experience, which allowed her to learn technical skills that would help her community, Laird pursued a master’s in environmental and occupational health sciences at University of Washington before attending University of California, San Francisco, and obtaining a degree to become an adult nurse practitioner. “I am looking forward to harnessing my experience and education to help the underserved in Central Oregon through my role at Volunteers in Medicine,” Laird said.

UKRAINE

In April and May, Jamie Hopkins (1996–98), who serves as executive director of the Eagan Community Foundation, spearheaded the Twin Cities Ukrainian Film Series. “It’s important for me to tell people about Ukraine,” Hopkins said. “I’ve been trying to do that for 25 years, and for the first time people are really anxious to learn.” Together with the Emagine Theaters, the foundation put on a three-day film fundraiser to benefit a variety of needs in Ukraine, including funding for filmmakers documenting the current war and community foundations in the areas hardest hit. “I want to make sure that opportunity exists today to do that (make Ukrainian films) in the future,” Hopkins said. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Hopkins served as a teacher trainer in the town of Ukrainka in the Kyiv Region — something she describes as “most rewarding experience of my life.” Hopkins has served as the Eagan Community Foundation’s executive director since 2016. She originally joined the foundation as a board member in 2013. 

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Carrie Hessler-Radelet (pictured left), a former Peace Corps director, begins a new position as president and CEO of Global Communities — an organization whose recent efforts include working in partnership with communities in Ukraine to provide essential non-food items, mental health support, and assistance to internally displaced persons. President Biden appoints Lisa E. Delplace as a member of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts to help oversee the cultural and historic preservation of the District of Columbia. A new director of operations for a Panama-based tour company. Two RPCVs receive awards for their commitment to leadership and global citizenship.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Ryan Stock (2007–09), a political ecologist, is the 2021–22 recipient of the Faculty Emerging Leadership Award at Northern Michigan University. He is an assistant professor in the Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences Department. With an extensive list of published works, Stock has several ongoing research projects including environmental injustices of solar PV life cycle, climate adaptation and vulnerability of farmers in India, gendered livelihoods and solar development in Ghana, and climate policy in South Asia. Stock has held many leadership roles promoting environmental sustainability, gender inclusion, student involvement, and anti-racism. He was the impetus for the NMU Carbon Neutrality Task Force which aims to create a carbon neutral campus by 2050 by improving waste and recycling, protecting freshwater resources, promoting education and awareness, and building local partnerships. Stock is a member of the Sustainability Advisory Council. Off-campus, he serves as a member of the Marquette County Climate Action Task Force and advocates for the City of Marquette to commit to carbon neutrality through its Climate Action Resolution.

KENYA

Lisa E. Delplace (1982–84) was appointed as the newest member of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts by President Biden. She is principal and CEO of the Washington, D.C.–based landscape architecture firm Oehme, van Sweden (OvS). In this new position, Delplace will represent landscape architects, a role which was previously missing from the commission. She is tasked with preserving and enhancing the District of Columbia’s visual and cultural character as well as helping to plan for public spaces, monuments, climate change–related issues, and security matters. Her previous work ranges from sculpture parks to urban redevelopments and examines the compelling structural relationship between architecture and landscape. She is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows — one of the highest honors ASLA bestows upon members — and she is a visiting critic and lecturer at various universities and organizations. In addition to her Peace Corps service in Kenya, she has international experience working in Europe and the Middle East.

LESOTHO

Madeline Uraneck (2006–09), a long-term contributor to international education and service, has received the 2022 Global Citizenship Award from the Wisconsin Council of Social Studies. The recipient of this award exemplifies social studies principles by improving the quality of life for others and promoting the common good. Uraneck has traveled to more than 60 countries, studied six languages, and willingly self-identifies as a “global citizen”. As a well-respected educator, Uraneck values the connections she makes within other cultures, learning languages from children and meeting kind strangers. She has won several awards including DPI by Goldman Sachs Foundation Award for State Leadership and Council of Chief State School Officers for International Education. She is a professional member, presenter, and key-note speaker for Wisconsin Council for Social Studies and has authored Planning Curriculum in International Education and How to Make a Life, a story of her interactions with a Tibetan refugee family in Madison, Wisconsin.

NIGERIA

Mary Johnson has been selected as a 2022 GenEd Teacher Fellow and will embark on a ten-day intensive professional development program in July. The fellowship, which is based at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, offers professional development workshops about human rights and genocide with a closer look at the Armenian experience. Johnson is an affiliate and adjunct professor for Stockton University’s Holocaust and Genocide Studies, a program that prepares its graduates for careers in education, museums, and organizations that aim to stop and prevent mass atrocities. For more than three decades, Johnson was the senior historian for Facing History and Ourselves, an organization that challenges students and teachers to confront racism and prejudice, where she facilitated seminars and workshops, wrote curricula, and conducted research.

PANAMA

Megan Thompson (2018–19) is the newly appointed director of operations for Retire in Panama, a full-service relocation tour company known for its innovative approach to supporting expatriate residents with their relocation and resettlement needs. Retire in Panama also shares educational resources to connect prospective clients and current clients with housing, financial planning assistance, and access to Panama’s history and culture. Thompson brings to the new roles a strong leadership foundation gained during the two-year advisory position she held with the company, and she brings a unique cultural understanding of Panama gained from her experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer who worked on environmental conservation, recycling and trash services, and sexual wellness education. In her new role, Thompson will oversee all aspects of operations, including personnel and contractor management, client services, tours and logistics.
 

SIERRA LEONE/NIGER

Mary Alice Serafini (1969–72) retired in March 2022 from her position as assistant vice chancellor for student affairs and executive director of the Pat Walker Health Center at the University of Arkansas. As a Volunteer in Sierra Leone and Niger, she served as a teacher before starting her employment at the University of Arkansas in 1991 as the assistant director of administration for the Health Center. Recognized for her support and advocacy for international students and scholars, Serafini has been committed in her leadership programs focused on student diversity and inclusion. She is a longtime member of the NASPA, the professional association of student affairs, and helps inspire undergraduates to see student affairs as a viable career path through the NUFP Mentor Program. During her time with the university, Serafini championed for the counseling center’s expansion, which included the addition of mental health and wellness promotion, the growth of counseling staff, and the creation of designated, welcoming space within the Pat Walker Health Center. Her compassionate leadership and service to others earned Serafini the respect and love of her colleagues and students. During her retirement, she plans to continue volunteering and engaging in public policy.

SOUTH AFRICA

Juhi Desai (2018–20) has been elected president of the Student Bar Association at the University of Virginia Law School. Before entering law school, she served as an elementary school teacher in South Africa with the Peace Corps and was evacuated in March 2020 because of COVID-19. Prior to serving with the Peace Corps, she taught civics and economics, AP U.S. history, and world history at a high school outside Boston. As an attorney she plans to work as a public defender and notes that “the United States is the most incarcerated nation in the world.” 

WESTERN SAMOA

Carrie Hessler-Radelet (1981–83) will assume the role of president and CEO of Global Communities on October 1, 2022. She has been serving as president of the organization since September 2021. Last year Global Communities also completed a merger with Project Concern International, where Hessler-Radelet had been serving as president and CEO. Global Communities is devoted to providing a more equitable future through humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, and financial solutions. Currently, the organization is working in partnership with communities in Ukraine to provide physical and mental health support and to assist internally displaced persons. Hessler-Radelet has worked in previous global leadership positions as director, acting director, and deputy director of the Peace Corps. Before being appointed as Director of the Peace Corps by President Obama, Hessler-Radelet oversaw public health programs in 85 countries as the vice president and director of John Snow, Inc., a public health management consulting and research organization. Hessler-Radelet brings to her new role decades of global health experience which includes serving as the lead consultant on the first Five Year Global HIV/AIDS Strategy for the President George W. Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), working with USAID in Indonesia on maternal and child health and HIV programming, founding the Special Olympics in The Gambia, and being the third generation in her family to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Park Ranger Shelton Johnson (pictured) who received the 2022 American Park Experience Award for his lifelong efforts advocating for diversity in U.S. national parks. Kathleen Chafey, the founder of a Montana State University program to support nursing students from Indigenous communities, has endowed a professorship to ensure the program continues to thrive. An RPCV is appointed to finish a term in the North Carolina State House. New leadership roles supporting efforts in sustainability as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

CHAD

Jim Diamond (1971–73) received the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s 2021 Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award. The award is presented to an individual whose dedicated work and service have significantly contributed to the advancement of Pennsylvania agriculture. With nearly 60 years of experience teaching agriculture in Pennsylvania and around the world, Diamond has made vast contributions to agriculture working as an assistant professor of agricultural education at Penn State University, an international agricultural and extension education consultant for the United Nations, and a vocational agriculture instructor at Upper Bucks County Area Vocational Technical School. For nearly a decade, Diamond served as the Dean of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Delaware Valley University.

COLOMBIA

Kathleen Chafey (1963–65), a retired director of a Montana State University program supporting Indigenous students pursuing nursing degrees, established an educational endowment in support of the program in years ahead. The fund is named the Kathleen Chafey Nursing Professorship to honor Chafey’s efforts to found and establish the Caring for Our Own Program (CO-OP) in 1999 to help improve the quality of health care in Native American and Alaska Native communities. Since its inception, CO-OP has nurtured more than 100 Native American students, most of whom have gone on to serve tribal communities as licensed nurses working in Montana or to pursue a doctoral nursing program.

EL SALVADOR

Kiva Wilson (2004–06) has been promoted to Chief Culture Officer at Material, a modern marketing services company. Wilson joined Material in 2021 as Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). Wilson brings to the role over 16 years of DE&I strategy and implementation experience, having worked on DE&I initiatives at Paradigm Strategy and Facebook as well as the Peace Corps as Head of Diversity and National Outreach. In her new role, Wilson will continue to lead Material’s DE&I efforts and develop a strategy for nurturing meaningful, collaborative, work relationships both remotely and face to face.

THE GAMBIA

Sabrina T. Cherry (2001–03) has been nominated for the 36th YMCA Annual Women of Achievement Award, which celebrates the accomplishments of women and young leaders in the southeastern North Carolina community. Dr. Cherry is an assistant professor of Public Health at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) and serves as Interim Director and Architect for the UNCW’s Equity Institute. She attributes her understanding of the importance of community-based health education and culturally relevant, public health initiatives to her Peace Corps service in The Gambia, and she has spent nearly two decades working in the public health field.

GHANA

Kayla Canne (2018–20), an Asbury Park Press reporter, has won a National Press Foundation award for her work investigating deplorable living conditions and discrimination in taxpayer-funded rental housing in New Jersey. Honoring journalism covering poverty and inequality in the United States, the award recognizes Canne’s 2021 series titled, “We don’t take that,” which exposed the barriers that exist for low-income tenants in their search for clean, safe and affordable housing. Listen to Canne discuss her series on WNYC's Morning Edition.

LIBERIA

Shelton Johnson (1982–83) received the 2022 American Park Experience Award. The award recognizes Johnson’s extraordinary, lifelong efforts advocating for diversity in national parks and helping more families and youth feel welcome by seeing their stories told in parks as well as cultural and historic sites alike. Johnson has worked for the past 35 years as a park ranger with the National Park Service at Yellowstone and now Yosemite National Park. His storytelling talents landed him a prominent role in the Ken Burns film: The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. In 2010, Johnson hosted Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King on a multi-day camping trip which was captured on national television and broadcast around the globe. He credits his work with Oprah as a significant breakthrough in introducing Black Americans to the wonders of America’s national parks, which has been Johnson’s passion throughout his career.

MALAWI 

Cameron Beach (2016–18) is both a COVID-19 evacuated Peace Corps Volunteer and a 2022 recipient of the Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship, looking forward to beginning graduate studies in the fall. This fellowship helps fund the costs of her education and provides a pathway into a career as a USAID Foreign Service Officer beginning in June 2024.

Danielle Lee (2001–03) has been named Mountain View's first Chief Sustainability and Resiliency Officer. In her new role, which starts in early March 2022, Lee will be responsible for lead the upcoming sustainability and climate resiliency efforts in Mountain View, California; advising the city on sustainability and resiliency goals; develop programs to achieve carbon neutrality, resiliency, adaptability and equity; and promote community, city and private sector participation in these sustainability efforts, among other tasks. Since 2005, she has worked for the County of San Mateo in a number of sustainability-related roles and as an analyst, having spent the past six years as assistant director in the county's Office of Sustainability.

ROMANIA

Marc Rand (2000–02) has been included among the 2022 Nonprofit Leaders Who Will Impact the World. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Community Capital Advisors, a national consultancy focused on community investment. He also manages several nonprofit loan funds, including American Nonprofits and the Nonprofit Insurance Alliance of California’s member loan fund. Marc is the former Program Director for Loans and Affordable Housing at Marin Community Foundation.

SOUTH AFRICA

Kelsey McMahon (2014–16) took part in the Peace Corps’ Virtual Service Pilot (launched in October 2020 as a virtual service that provided Returned Peace Corps Volunteers with the opportunity to serve while in the United States through virtual engagements with community-based partners overseas). Using her marketing experience and creative writing skills, she was able to help a South African nonprofit improve its online presence.

TONGA

Sarah Bair (2019–20) has been selected as a 2022 Presidential Management Fellow Finalist at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, where Bair is pursuing a master’s in public health. Directed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the PMF program is the federal government’s flagship leadership development program at the entry level, offering exceptional men and women from various careers direct pathways into federal services.

Patricia Delaney (2002–05) became Dean of the School of Liberal Studies & the Arts and Academic Coordinator for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Landmark College in Vermont. As a social anthropologist, Delaney has worked in international development promoting social equity with organizations such as the Peace Corps, the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and various partners in countries all over the world.

TURKMENISTAN

Andrea Armstrong (1996–98) has received Loyola University New Orleans College of Law's 2022 Dux Academicus award for her unwavering commitment to social justice and passion for knowledge. As the highest honor a Loyola faculty member, the Dux Academicus recognizes a faculty member who imparts the knowledge and wisdom of liberal arts, sciences, or professions to students in a way that truly embodies Jesuit values and philosophy.

Nathan Truitt (2000–03) has been promoted to senior vice president of business development at the American Forest Foundation (AFF). In his new role, Truitt will lead the AFF’s partnership and philanthropy strategy for all programs and products, with a strong emphasis on the rapidly expanding Family Forest Carbon Program. Prior to the promotion, Truitt worked as AFF's Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. He brings to the position international education and development experience within the nonprofit sector.

ZAMBIA

Caleb Rudow (2012–14) has been appointed to serve out the remainder of Representative Susan Fisher’s term for the District 114 seat in the North Carolina State House. He intends to run for a full two-year term, beginning with the primary set for May 17, 2022. Prior to his confirmation, Rudow worked as a research and data analyst at Open Data Watch in Washington, D.C., where he conducted research on open data funding, patterns of data use, and technical issues around open data policy.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff

By Peter Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Carol Anne “Aziza” Reid (Moldova and Eswatini, pictured) honored with the Lillian Carter Award. Writer George Packer (Togo) serves up a stark and compelling analysis of the state of American politics. Doris Rubenstein (Ecuador) tells a remarkable tale of a Jewish family’s flight to Latin America to escape the Nazis. Kim Mansaray, country director for Peace Corps Mongolia, is presented with that nation’s highest honor, the Order of Polar Star. Honors for a librarian, a sustainable kids clothing line, and a new beat for a journalist — and much more.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

BURKINA FASO

Tyler LeClear Vachta (2009–11) has been recently appointed Human Resources Systems and Data Analyst at Augsburg University (Minneapolis).

ECUADOR

Moses Manning (2016–18) has been appointed a policy intern at the World Resources Institute (June 2021). He is a graduate student in Duke University’s Master of Public Policy, Energy and Environmental Policy program.

Doris Rubenstein (1971–73) is an author and journalist who recently published The Boy with Four Names (iUniverse, 2021). The book is the story of one Jewish family who left Europe and what was an almost certain death by the Nazis to find freedom and safety in Ecuador.

ETHIOPIA

Janet Lee (1974–76) has been named the 2021 recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) International Relations Committee’s John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award, presented to a librarian or person who has made significant contributions to international librarianship. The award consists of $1,000 and a plaque presented at the ALA 2021 Annual Conference. Following her tenure as dean at Regis University, Lee received a Fulbright Scholarship (2017–18) to study in Ethiopia.

GHANA

Kayla Canne (2018–20) has taken on a new beat with the Asbury Park Press, covering the affordable housing shortage at the Jersey Shore and the Garden State. 

GUATEMALA

Chris Jage (1993–96) joined the staff of the Adirondack Land Trust in July 2021 as conservation program director, overseeing its land protection and land stewardship teams. Since 2016, he has worked as land protection manager with the Adirondack Chapter of the Nature Conservancy.
 

HONDURAS

Raymond Limon is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Capital and Diversity, and Chief Human Capital Officer with the U.S. Department of the Interior. He has been recently nominated for vice chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board of Directors.
 

HUNGARY

Cordes Lindow (1991–93) has been selected as one of five participants in C-SPAN’s 2021 Teacher Fellowship Program. She will collaborate with C-SPAN's Education Relations team for four weeks to create content for C-SPAN Classroom, a free online teaching resource for educators. She is piloting International Relations Honors at Allen D. Nease High School (Ponte Vedra, Florida) in the upcoming school year.

MOLDOVA

Carol Anne “Aziza” Reid (2016–18) was recognized with the 2021 Lillian Carter Award. The Lillian Carter Award honors outstanding returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served at age 50 or older. Reid served as a  community organizational development volunteer in Moldova from 2016 to 2018, and later as youth education volunteer in Eswatini from 2018 to 2020. Her projects centered on organizing community programs to empower women and youth through both African dance classes and social justice. She is now starting a new position as a Peace Corps Recruiter.
 

MONGOLIA

Kimberly Mansaray (2018–present) is Peace Corps Mongolia Country Director. On June 24, 2021 she was presented the Order of Polar Star, the highest state honor. This honor was awarded by Mongolia’s president to Peace Corps and its leadership, including Kim Mansaray, for their invaluable contribution to advancing the friendly relations and cooperation between Mongolia and the United States.

Katie Murray (2003–05) is the executive director of the nonprofit food and fiber trade organization Oregonians for Food and Shelter. She has led the organization since December 2020. 

NIGER

Gordon Brown (1996–98) was appointed in July 2021 to serve as director of legislative affairs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. He served as a Peace Corps Country Director in Ghana (2018–21) and Benin (2015–18).

PARAGUAY

Brian Washburn (1998–2000) has published What’s Your Formula? Combine Learning Elements for Impactful Training. His new publication offers a “periodic table of learning elements” modeled on the original periodic table of chemical properties providing metaphors for the tools and strategies of the field of learning design. Brian is the co-founder and CEO of Endurance Learning, a boutique instructional design company.

PHILIPPINES

Kya O’Donnell (2019–20) is a legislative aide at the Connecticut State Capitol. She was recently hired as head coach of field hockey at Cheshire High School.

RWANDA

Nicholas Sung (2016–18) published a research paper exploring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the U.S. Ambassador Corps for the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School. He graduated with a master’s degree in public policy from the school this year. With Peace Corps, he served as an education coordinator in Rwanda 2016–18 and a food security specialist in Nepal 2012–14.

TOGO

George Packer (1982–83) published Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal in summer 2021, recognized as an editor’s choice by the New York Times Book Review. As a journalist, novelist, and playwright, Packer has covered a broad range of of U.S. foreign and domestic policies through his work. Last Best Hope offers an examination of the conflicting interests that define contemporary American politics, free agency, morality, meritocracy, and justice. 

TONGA

Seth Hershberger (2004–06) was appointed in July 2021 as executive director of Wicomico Public Libraries in Maryland. He previously served as public diplomacy professional associate and community liaison office coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana.

UKRAINE

Emmery Brakke (2017–20) is a candidate at Brown University for a master of public affairs degree. Her career focus has been refined by the domestic challenges associated with COVID-19.

UZBEKISTAN

John Mark King (2001) is the co-founder of Muse Threads, a bamboo children’s clothing line based in Washington, D.C. Alongside his wife and co-founder, he has turned what started as a pandemic passion project inspired by his newborn daughter into a successful, sustainable kids’ clothing line with a growing cult following. He is also a professional voice actor and music producer/songwriter.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Photo courtesy CARE

Diane Carazas is the new director for CARE in Latin America and the Caribbean, where efforts include supporting thousands of Haitians like Natacha (pictured) who lost her home in a devastating earthquake last year. Ruth Rosas is the first-ever dedicated, bilingual Latine Communities Reporter for a sustainable transportation news source in Chicago. Peter Riley was sworn in as the first Mission Director for USAID in Tajikistan. RPCVs appointed to leadership positions in local and international nonprofit organizations — and seeking to empower a diverse, inclusive, and effective generation of public servants in Congress. Recently published books. Specialists making an impact in herbal medicine and agronomy.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

ARGENTINA

Kate Hammond (1992–94) will step into the interim superintendent position of Glacier National Park this month, amid new regulations during peak hours for visitors due to COVID-19, and she is prepared for a busy summer. Prior to her new role, Hammond served as the deputy director and chief of staff for the National Park Service's Intermountain Region in Denver since 2016.
 

BOLIVIA

Michael Mulvaney (1995–97) is the new Edgar E. and Winifred B. Hartwig Endowed Chair in Soybean Agronomy at Mississippi State University. Two of Mulvaney’s goals as chair include identifying inefficiencies and designing research to improve soybean production. His interest in and aptitude for agronomy originated in Peace Corps, where he served as an agricultural extension Volunteer. Mulvaney brings to his new role international agronomy experience, and he worked as a certified crop advisor conducting research with the Global Conservation Agriculture Program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.
 

BOTSWANA

Diane Carazas (1983–85) recently started as the new regional director for CARE’s Latin America and Caribbean region. She worked with the Peace Corps for eight years, including her most recent role as the Botswana Country Director. For over 20 years she worked with several international humanitarian organizations – specializing in poverty reduction, international development, humanitarian relief, and public health programs in six Latin American countries.

CHILE

Kat Maier (1978–79) currently works as director of Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she offers a three-year clinical and community herbalist training program. She began studying plants in Chile during her time as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and she is a founding member of Botanica Mobile Clinic, a nonprofit dedicated to providing accessible herbal medicine to local communities.

CHINA

David Wertime (2001–03) has been selected as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow for 2022–23. Since 2018 he has served as the executive director of Protocol and is also a research associate at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China. Wertime held senior positions as a writer for different newsrooms and served as senior editor for China at Foreign Policy magazine, where he introduced the publication’s first Chinese-language articles.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Dominique Thurmond (2017–20) is a newly appointed paralegal associate at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, focusing on worker’s rights.

FIJI

Ruth Rosas (2015–18) was appointed Streetsblog Chicago’s first-ever dedicated bilingual Latine Communities Reporter. Rosas’ voice will help Streetsblog expand its coverage of livable streets relevant to Spanish-speaking communities. Rosas is an advocate for active transportation and co-founded a community bike shop for at-risk youth while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Fiji. Rosas also works at the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children at Lurie Children’s Hospital, where she addresses pedestrian and walkability issues, focusing on vulnerable communities.

LESOTHO

Marc Sabin (1988–90) is the City of San Raphael’s new manager for its homelessness program. One of Sabin’s first tasks include spearheading a grant proposal to support mental health services and identifying opportunities for temporary shelter to get more people into supportive housing. He brings to the role more than 30 years of experience in social services for other California nonprofits and initiatives. 

MALI

Justin Bakule (2004–06) is the vice president of advisory and corporate engagement for Social Finance, a pioneering impact investing nonprofit organization. Recently he was the founder of Tidepath, a new company strategically centered on improving freelance careers through income stability and long-term wealth creation.

MOROCCO

Kiana Graves (2017–19) is the Program Director for College to Congress, a non-profit organization that seeks to systemically change Congress by empowering a diverse, inclusive, and effective generation of public servants, located in Washington D.C.

NICARAGUA

Martin do Nascimento (2010–12) began his new assignment this month as the Assistant Photo Editor at CalMatters, a nonpartisan nonprofit newsroom committed to explaining California politics and policy, Nascimento is an award-winning documentary photographer and filmmaker, who is based in Oakland, CA. He is a trilingual RPCV with work featured in various publications ranging from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, and National Public Radio. 

NIGER

Peter Riley (1983–85) was sworn in as the first Mission Director for USAID in Tajikistan in December 2021. He is a career USAID Foreign Service Officer with over 30 years of international development experience, which includes serving as Director of USAID in Tunisia, Senior Stabilization Advisor for USAID in Afghanistan, and Senior Regional Advisor for Africa for the US Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in Nairobi, Kenya.

PHILIPPINES

Deborah Francisco Douglas (2011–14) published her memoir, Somewhere in the Middle, which documents her three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer and the connections made to her culture as a Filipino American while serving in the Philippines. She also started a blog called Halo-Halo, Mix-Mix as a way of further cataloging her journey to discover her cultural roots and share her love of her culture. 

VENEZUELA

Daniel Robinson (1966–68), a retired lawyer from California, published a new book in October 2021 by Atmosphere Press. Hitchhiking Across America: 1963 is a fictional version of the author’s August 1963 cross country trip from Lake Tahoe to Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, D.C., New York City, and back to Los Angeles. The book examines the ways life in America is changing through brief encounters with strangers — exploring war stories, new social issues, and political views that deepen his understanding of America.

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Katrina Fotovat is appointed Senior Official to the Secretary of State in the Office of Global Women’s Issues. Dr. Patrick Gonzalez, Assistant Director for Climate and Biodiversity by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), helps lead efforts to combat climate change. Newly published books, such as Elana Hohl’s (pictured) collection of letters documenting her Peace Corps service. Recognizing gender equity public health initiatives. Expanding research on ocean sustainability.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

AFGHANISTAN

Elana Hohl (1971–73, pictured) wrote A Few Minor Adjustments, a collection of letters sent home to friends and family, started over 40 years ago. Published in May, the book is a way of preserving memories from her time volunteering at 21 years old with her new husband Michael. The Hohls can now share those memories with their five children and ten grandchildren.

BANGLADESH

Mike Kiess (2002–06) and Cambodia (2006–08), Workforce Housing Coordinator in Vermont, is relocating to Kampala, Uganda, in December 2021 to work as the Operations and Management Director for the Peace Corps.

BENIN

Anne Rimoin (1993–95) was named the new Gordon-Levin Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health in November. Dr. Rimoin is an internationally recognized expert on emerging infections, global health, infectious disease surveillance systems and vaccinations. She has been engaged in pandemic preparedness and response work for more than two decades. Read more about Dr. Rimoin in “A Matter of Life and Death” in WorldView magazine.

BOTSWANA

Lucy Ruderman (2016–18) is an FHI 360 Research Fellow and Master of Public Health candidate at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. She is a gender equity and public health professional with a focus on women’s health.

COSTA RICA

XiNomara Velazquez Yehuda (1993–95) became the Chief of Staff of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in June. She has held many professional leadership positions since her Peace Corps service, including over eight years as Executive Director, Chief of Staff at The Hispanic Institute in Washington, D.C. In September, she became a member of the National Peace Corps Associations Board of Directors.

GHANA

Brian Arbic (1990–93), a professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Michigan, recently founded the Global Ocean Corps and Conveyor, a program he hopes will foster sustained, long-term ocean science education and research collaborations among countries around the world.

GUATEMALA

Bennett VanOudenallen (1999–2000) received the 2021 Jane Ortner Education Award, which is given to K–12 teachers who use music as an academic tool in the classroom. VanOudenallen teaches social studies at Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati, where he is also the Academic Teach Coach, Province Leader, and member of the Professional Development team. In addition to his service with the Peace Corps, VanOudenallen volunteered with AmeriCorps and the National Park Service.

IRAN

James F. Goode (1968–71) recently published his book Living, Loving Iran: A Memoir in which he shares his reflections from his time serving in Tuyserkan in western Iran. Goode also writes about his wife, Virginia, whom he met in Tehran, and their experiences in a country that shaped their personal and academic pursuits. Goode’s memoir highlights the discrimination of Iranians and attempts to share his insight with Americans through his writing. He is also emeritus professor of history at Grand Valley State University and the former director of its Middle East Studies program.

MOLDOVA

Katrina Fotovat (2000–02) is the Senior Official to the Secretary of State in the Office of Global Women’s Issues, where she leads a team of gender experts promoting gender equality efforts including support of women, peace, and security to counter violent extremism, promote women’s economic empowerment, and combat gender-based violence.

NICARAGUA

Renee Wizig-Barrios (1993–95) has recently been appointed as president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. She previously worked as the senior vice president and chief philanthropy officer for the Greater Houston Community Foundation where she led initiatives in community engagement and philanthropy.

PARAGUAY

Hannah Baysinger (2019–20) was among the RPCVs evacuated during the pandemic. In the spring, she enrolled at the University of Iowa to purse a master’s of teaching in world language education with endorsements in Spanish and English as a Second Language (ESL). She is the 2021 Obermann Spelman Rockefeller Community Scholar.

SENEGAL

Patrick Gonzalez (1988–90) has been appointed Assistant Director for Climate and Biodiversity by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Gonzalez is a scientist at the University of California, Berkeley and will participate in a thought leaders and influencers panel discussion hosted by the Peace Corps on December 9, 2021.

ZAIRE

Craig Sholley (1973–75) is Vice President at the African Wildlife Foundation, a conservation nonprofit focused exclusively on Africa's wildlife and wild lands. His mentor, Diane Fossey, motivated his long-term study of mountain gorillas. 

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70)
 

Ambassador Donald Lu (pictured) confirmed as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. Gary M. Restaino nominated to be U.S. Attorney for Arizona. Women advancing in medicine and business. New books. Honoring an early Volunteer for outstanding contributions to the community. Nonprofit leaders research clean energy and financial empowerment.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

BOLIVIA

Ken Culver (1965–67) has been inducted into the Central Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, which recognizes persons over 60 who have made special contributions to their communities. In addition to his time on city council in Lancaster, Ohio, he works with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fairfield County.  He is a founding member of the Lancaster Playhouse and served on the Fairfield Medical Center board, and has also worked with the Maywood Mission, Habitat for Humanity, the Lancaster Public Education Foundation, the Salvation Army, and the First Presbyterian Church Elder Mission.

DOMINICA

Jennifer Pritheeva Samuel (1999–01) is a photo editor at National Geographic. She serves as a judge for the Ocean Storytelling Grant and has edited stories in the magazine’s 2019–20 series highlighting women. She also contributed to the 2018 series on race and diversity. 

ETHIOPIA

Melvin Foote (1973–75) was recognized as one of the Top 500+ Annual Powerlist Influential Africans in the World by Tropics Magazine. He was honored with the Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mali—the Knight of the Order of Mali, for a foreign national. Foote is the founder and CEO of the Constituency for Africa. 

FIJI

Charles Blomquist (1988–90) has been appointed to the Baltimore City Circuit Court by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. He has spent his entire legal career as a prosecutor and is currently a deputy state prosecutor in the Office of State Prosecutor.

GUATEMALA

Chris Roesel (1973–75) is the founder and president of P2P, Inc. It is a nonprofit organization providing water, sanitation, hygiene, malaria-elimination, and income improvement in Uganda. The organization was named a 2021 Top-Rated Nonprofit. In August, his new book, How to Improve the World Quickly, was published by Peace Corps Writers. “After the Peace Corps, how to help those most in need was the question that drove me,” he noted. “So I searched out the best projects in the world, analyzed them, and then tested what and how to do it in more than 20 countries of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.”

GUINEA

Margaret Chell (2018–20) was more than a year into her service as a Volunteer when COVID-19 struck. Now she is completing medical school at Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena, California.

GUINEA-BISSAU

Adam Browning, co-founder and longtime executive director of Vote Solar, is leaving the organization that he began 20 years ago. Vote Solar was founded in 2002 and advocates for clean energy in legislative and regulatory arenas at the state level, where most decisions about electricity are made.

Jessica Collins (1996–98) is executive director of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. Her wide-ranging professional leadership in building coalitions to tackle the pressing community issues has been recognized through her selection as a 2021 Woman of Impact by Business West.

REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI

David Brummel (1998–2000) has been appointed (October 2021) Director of Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment in Minnesota. He served as deputy director beginning in 2014. 

KOREA

Clifford Garstang (1976–77) practiced international law before becoming an active writer of fiction. He recently published Oliver’s Travels (Regal House Publishing), a novel exploring the “folly of memory and life’s meaning” through Ollie Tucker, a recent college graduate and student of philosophy, who invents an alter ego, Oliver, who lives the adventurous and exotic existence Ollie cannot. 

MICRONESIA

Roland Merullo (1979–80) has published Driving Jesus to Little Rock (PFP Publishers), a quirky travelogue about a driver who picks up a passenger who claims to be Jesus. 

NEPAL

Lawrence Leamer (1965–67) has published Capote’s Women, which depicts Truman Capote’s relationship with notable women during his lifetime and is just out from Putnam. Leamer is the author of 18 books including five New York Times bestsellers and one off-Broadway play.

NIGER

Mike Mitchell (1983–85), founder of Project Play, was awarded Alumnus of the Year by De La Salle High School in Concord, California. The nonprofit organization provides universal access to basic social services; empowering people living in poverty and their organizations; progressively developing social protection systems to support those who cannot support themselves; addressing the disproportionate impact of poverty on women; intensifying international cooperation for poverty eradication.

PARAGUAY

Gary M. Restaino (1991–93) was appointed in October to be the United States Attorney for Arizona — the top federal law enforcement officer in the state. Restaino has been a federal prosecutor in Arizona since 2003 and was previously the chief of the criminal division and the white collar crime section. Restaino has also worked as a trial attorney for the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and worked on some of the highest profile cases of the past decade in Arizona. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Restaino was a civil rights lawyer for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and represented farmworkers for a Phoenix-based legal aid service. 

SIERRA LEONE

Donald Lu (1988–90) became Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on September 15, 2021, after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Prior to this assignment, Assistant Secretary Lu served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2018 to 2021 and the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Albania from 2015–18. Before his posting in Albania, Assistant Secretary Lu worked on the Ebola crisis in West Africa as the Deputy Coordinator for Ebola Response in the Department of State. Lu is a Foreign Service Officer with more than 30 years of U.S. government service. 

SWAZILAND

Lauren North (2010–12) is the newly-appointed staff attorney for the Jefferson County Family Court (KY) and the first recipient of Earlham College’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award (October 2021). 

News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff.

By Peter Deekle (Iran 1968–70)

Lisa Woodson (pictured) is working with Indigenous populations in the Amazon basin on health research. A new film produced by Bryn Mooser on the 2021 Refugee Olympic Team. Entrepreneurial success. Honoring an advocate for the land.

Have news to share with the Peace Corps community? Let us know.

AFGHANISTAN

W. Brunhofer has recently released Dancing with Angels: Songs and Poems from the Millennium. The exploration of poetry is produced by Christian Faith Publishing. From Shakespeare to Yeats, Brunhofer explores favorite poems of inspiration and presents a series of personal writing dating back to the 1970s.

CHINA

Andy Dieckhoff (2017–19) has joined the staff of the Madras Pioneer in Madras, Oregon, as its new sports editor. He is a lifelong Oregonian and was raised in Corvallis. 

COLOMBIA

Douglas and Cheryl Hunt were honored on September 1, 2021 by the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship with the Barstow Driver Award for Excellence in Nonviolent Direct Action in Retirement. They are both retired educators who have been peacemakers for most of their lives. They have devoted themselves to gun violence prevention, climate change, and efforts to support communities in Colombia.

ETHIOPIA

Stephen Foehr (1964–66) has published Warrior Love in July 2021. The novel is a murder mystery.

Eric Madeen has published Asian Trail Mix: True Tales from Borneo to Japan. He is an associate professor of modern literature at Tokyo City University and an adjunct professor at Keio University.

THE GAMBIA

Bryan Mooser (2001–04), an Oscar-nominated producer who founded the nonfiction film and television studio XTR in 2019, will produce with Waad Al-Kateab a documentary film on the 2021 Refugee Olympic Team. Al-Kateab is the director of the documentary. Mooser is also part of the inaugural NPCA “40 Under 40” cohort.

GUINEA-BISSAU / CAPE VERDE

Estela Divino (1988–90) is a McKnight Senior Living 2021 Women of Distinction honoree. She is the Palliative Care Coordinator at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in Queens County, New York.

IRAN

Harry Conklin (1968–71) died in 2021 and, in addition to a long career in law, served on the board of the Community Land Trust (BCLT) in the Southern Berkshires for more than four decades. The BCLT will honor his legacy through the establishment of the Harry Conklin Fund for Farmsteads. The purpose of the Fund is to support secure, long-term access to land for farmsteads for small-scale farmers, while retaining ownership of the land in a community organization.

JORDAN

Allison Monroe (2002) is the CEO at Language Learning Market (LLM) – Educational Resources in All Languages. LLM joined nonprofit accelerator Impact Ventures’ Spring 2021 cohort, later receiving a $10,000 prize at its 2021 showcase pitch competition. LLM comprises a marketplace to buy educational resources from businesses large and small and micro-entrepreneurs worldwide, a directory of resources and places to learn, and an education-focused media network.

MACEDONIA

Mary O’Connor (2006–08) is an architect, educator, and writer. She is the recent author of Free Rose Light (University of Akron Press, 2021), a story of Akron’s South Street Ministries and its founders Duane and Lisa Crabbs. Duane Crabbs was a Cuyahoga Falls firefighter disturbed by the lack of diversity in the department.

NEPAL

Ron Ryanson (1964–66) has produced “'Tattooed Trucks of Nepal – Horn Please” — a documentary film that draws on his own experience of traveling on the back of a truck from Kathmandu to villages 57 years ago. He was 23 years old at that time, and the film has knit together the varied stories of road travel in Nepal as well as the multi-dimensional cultural aspects of Nepal. 

Lisa Woodson has received a Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship toward a year in Peru where she will conduct research among an Indigenous population within the Amazon basin. Her research focuses on perceptions of health seeking behaviors and changes to those behaviors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences, as experienced by Indigenous Amazonian peoples.

NICARAGUA

Robert Frisch (2007–09) was awarded Cornell University’s Stein Family Prize in 2013 in the Cornell Hospitality Business Plan MBA Competition. He is the founder of Firelight Camps — inspiring adventure and getting more people outside by means of stylish, social, eco-friendly, and rejuvenating upscale campgrounds.

PARAGUAY

Laura Johnson, a board member of the Vermont Beekeepers Association, has been appointed University of Vermont’s new extension pollinator support specialist with the Applied Research and Education Pollinator Program. She started with the Migrant Education Program in 2017 before moving to an agronomy outreach role with the UVM Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

VANUATU

Santiago Pardo Sanchez (2017–18) is now completing an MBA at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, focusing on sustainability and entrepreneurship. He is a managing editor of Harvard Mapping Past Societies, a digital atlas project within the Initiative for the Science of the Human Past at Harvard, where he focuses on climate change, and on economic and political projects.

ZAIRE

Charles Kosak is presently the Department Of Energy Faculty Chair at the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs. In this role, he helps prepare U.S. and partner-nation national security professionals and future leaders to better understand emerging threats to peace and security and develop innovative approaches to strengthen U.S. and partner-nation capabilities and capacities.