Jody Olsen

As part of Peace Corps Connect 2022, Women of Peace Corps Legacy honored two outstanding leaders in the Peace Corps community. The awards were presented by WPCL co-presidents Megan Celistine, who served as a Volunteer in Dominica 2014–17, and Jody Olsen, who served as a Volunteer in Tunisia 1966–68 and as Peace Corps Director 2018–21.

Kate Raftery Emerging Leader Award

Honoring those under the age of 40 who have shown a demonstrated dedication to improving the lives of women and girls.

Jaynice Del Rosario

Program Officer, Girls First Fund

Jaynice Del Rosario began her career conducting independent research on girls’ lack of access to education in Cameroon in 2010, where she met Peace Corps Volunteers who inspired her to do something about it. She served as a Volunteer in Ethiopia 2013–15 and undertook work as national coordinator of gender and development; she also participated in planning sessions that led to the Peace Corps’ “Let Girls Learn” initiative. Her work centered on girls and supporting their right to a quality education has taken her to the Dominican Republic and Laos. In her current role, she supports community-based organizations in the Global South that combat child marriage and help girls live self-determined lives.

Deborah Harding Women of Achievement Award

Honoring Peace Corps women whose contributions have made a significant difference in the lives of women and girls.

Theresa P. Castillo

Chief Program Officer, HealthRight International

Informed by Peace Corps service in Turkmenistan, Morocco, and Mali 2001–04, Theresa Castillo has worked in the fields of gender, social justice, and health equity for more than 25 years, helping thousands of women and girls around the world. Working primarily in resource-poor settings across Asia, North America, and sub-Saharan Africa, Castillo has collaborated with NGOs, U.N. agencies, and ministries of health to strengthen public health systems. Her research is dedicated to immigrant, refugee, and indigenous women and girls’ health issues.

An advocate of holistic concepts of health and integrated healing, Castillo serves on several health equity committees, peer- review journal panels, and presents globally on gender, sexual and reproductive health, youth, and indigenous rights. At HealthRight International she launched the Women and Children’s Health Program, putting women and girls at the center of development. She also teaches at Bard College’s program in globalization and international affairs, at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, and at Teachers College, Columbia University.

WATCH: Women of Peace Corps Legacy Awards presentation. 

The Eastern Caribbean will be the first to welcome back Volunteers.

By WorldView Staff

The big news out of Peace Corps HQ on October 14: Volunteers will begin returning to service in January 2021. The Eastern Caribbean will be the first to welcome back Volunteers. “Our decision to return to the field follows months of extensive preparations and review, and I am extremely grateful to the many staff and host country partners who contributed to this effort,” said Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen. “I also salute the evacuated volunteers who are joining us as we take these first steps to resume operations and begin the celebration of our 60th anniversary.”

“Our decision to return to the field follows months of extensive preparations and review, and I am extremely grateful to the many staff and host country partners who contributed to this effort.”

—Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen

This news comes after more than eight months of uncertainty, with Americans who have been invited to serve as new Volunteers still on hold. What about other programs and regions? 

One answer, on the Peace Corps website as of mid-October: “Due to the complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallouts in every post, we cannot address timing yet.” Though more news may be coming throughout the fall. Right now, plans for return include COVID testing and 14 days of quarantine when Volunteers arrive in the country where they are serving — with a caveat that quarantine periods may vary from country to country.

Peace Corps has posted general estimates for when Volunteers might return to service globally: either mid-2021 or late 2021, depending on region and sector. A crowdsourced list on a Facebook group for evacuated Volunteers (featured in our summer edition) has listed returns to service country by country, specifying which month — from January to November.

Other ways Peace Corps expects service to change: Initial cohorts will be small, sites near a medical unit, travel restricted. (See Jody Olsen’s remarks from the Peace Corps Connect to the Future Global Ideas Summit for more.) Another factor in the answer: Many of the 61 countries in which Volunteers were serving have not experienced the severity of pandemic that has hit the United States. Some Pacific island nations where Peace Corps Volunteers were serving have reported zero cases of COVID-19.

Universities in the United States offer some lessons in the complexity of opening up programs again. Some have managed to keep the virus in check; others have not, and have had to shut down in-person teaching.

This story was first published in WorldView magazine’s Fall 2020 issue. Read the entire magazine for free now in the WorldView app. Here’s how:

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An historic partnership years in the making

By Steven Boyd Saum

The news broke July 10: inking of an agreement between Viet Nam’s Ministry of Education and Training and Peace Corps to formally establish a Peace Corps program in English education. The occasion also marked 25 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. 

“We are thrilled to be entering into this historic partnership,” said Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen. “I am honored and deeply grateful to the people and Government of Viet Nam for their willingness to open their hearts, schools and homes to Peace Corps volunteers. This program, with its emphasis on cross-cultural exchange and capacity building, will benefit the people of both countries for generations.” 

The first cohort of Volunteers is set to arrive in Viet Nam in mid-2022. They will focus on English education. Serving as country director will be Kate Becker, who previously directed the Peace Corps programs in Albania and Montenegro. 

The agreement has been years in the making. In May 2016, on the eve of President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Viet Nam, Peace Corps and the government of Viet Nam announced plans to establish a partnership that would bring Volunteers to work in education. “This new partnership will further strengthen and deepen our two countries’ people to people engagements,” said then-director Carrie Hessler-Radelet, “and the volunteers will learn the rich traditions, culture and history of this great nation.”

What’s the reaction been in the Peace Corps community? “This makes me want to join again. Congrats!” “This makes my heart sing!” “We have come a long way.” “Glad to finally see an update! I’ve been waiting since they made the first announcement years ago. I currently live in Hanoi.” One post on Facebook included 18 exclamation points over two sentences. And one Volunteer who served in Niger and Madagascar observed wryly: “Looks like Mrs. Olsen watched ‘Da 5 Bloods.’” (Could be. Spike Lee’s film was released in June.) 

Here at WorldView, we devoted a special edition to Viet Nam and Southeast Asia in Fall 2016. Read all those stories by signing up for the WorldView app, with instructiions below.

This story was first published in WorldView magazine’s Fall 2020 issue. Read the entire magazine for free now in the WorldView app. Here’s how:

STEP 1 - Create an account: Click here and create a login name and password. Use the code DIGITAL2020 to get it free.

STEP 2 - Get the app: For viewing the magazine on a phone or tablet, go to the App Store/Google Play and search for “WorldView magazine” and download the app. Or view the magazine on a laptop/desktop here.

On March 30, 2018, Dr. Josephine (Jody) Olsen took the oath of office to become the 20^th Director of the Peace Corps. The oath was administered by Acting Director of Human Resource Management Tina Williams. Jody was accompanied by her daughter Kirsten Andersen.  Olsen has previously served the agency in various capacities, including as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from 1966-1968.

“It is an absolute honor to begin my service as Director of the Peace Corps,” said Dr. Olsen. “I’m grateful to President Trump for his trust and confidence.” 

Olsen is committed to leading a Peace Corps that remains the world’s preeminent volunteer agency, offering all Americans the opportunity to serve their country. She envisions recruiting skilled and resilient volunteers who stand poised to achieve the greatest impact. In the months ahead, she will focus on ensuring that Peace Corps sends volunteers to countries where they are needed most.

Under her leadership, volunteers’ health, safety, and security will remain the agency’s top priorities.

“I look forward to working closely with our remarkable volunteers, dedicated staff serving across the world and throughout the United States, our global partners, and bipartisan supporters in Congress to ensure that together we are advancing the agency’s mission and goals," said Olsen.

President Trump nominated Olsen to lead the agency on January 3, 2018, and the U.S. Senate took bipartisan action to confirm her on March 22, 2018.