Moldolva

Transitions can be challenging, but Peace Corps has capitalized on the prolonged leadership transition to continue building a strong and resilient agency.  Bottom line: Peace Corps is strong, and Peace Corps Volunteers are still doing great things. 

Now ten months into the new administration, the Peace Corps community could reasonably be concerned about the impact of a prolonged leadership transition. But it's reassuring to know that Peace Corps is in good hands and is moving forward, not retreating. 

With a focus on the core business of recruiting, placing and caring for highly-qualified Volunteers to advance Peace Corps' mission of world peace and friendship, the agency continues to shore up infrastructure, make progress on opening new posts, and ensure the safety and security of Volunteers in the field. Of note, some 23,000 Volunteer applications were received in fiscal year 2017 - the fourth consecutive year of historically-high applicant numbers, representing the sustained interest by Americans to serve in the Peace Corps. 

While a director and deputy director are yet to to be nominated, political appointments continue to be made for key leadership positions in the  Peace Corps' offices of general counsel, finance, management and external affairs. New faces at the Peace Corps headquarters include two new political appointments who are Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

With more than twenty years of work experience in Africa, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Joel Frushone joins the agency as Director of Communications.

Joel's work in combating malaria fits well with the work of hundreds of Peace Corps Volunteers. He served as Global Communications Director for Malaria No More, a Non-Governmental Organization working to raise awareness and political will to eliminate malaria. Joel coordinated communications in the U.S. and Africa, and worked closely with the African Leaders Malaria Alliance.

From 1995 to 1997, Joel served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, teaching small-scale agriculture production to women and children. Soon after his service, Joel joined World Vision International as its Communications and Advocacy Director in Rwanda and Burundi, and as the Africa Policy Analyst with the U.S. Committee for Refugees.

Joel also worked as a political campaign consultant for clients in the U.S. and abroad. He also served as CEO of Crescent Consultants, which helped clients solve communication challenges and navigate the complexities of bureaucracy, policy, culture and risk across Africa.

As private sector funding helps support many Peace Corps program initiatives, the Office of Gifts and Grants Management is another branch of the agency that helps Peace Corps achieve its mission. Leah Keiff is a recently appointed Program Specialist for the office. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Leah served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Moldolva from 2013 to 2015, working with the Community and Organizational Development Program.

More recently, Leah served as Foundation Director at Generation Opportunity Institute, a nonprofit that focuses on helping young Americans gain knowledge and tools to take control of their financial futures and better their lives and communities.