Podcasts about rpcv

Jerry Glenn, a futurist, serves as the executive director of the Millennium Project, and authors an annual publication, “State of the Future.” He was the executive director of the American Council for the United Nations University and was deputy director of Partnership for Productivity International. The State of the Future 20.0 Report is the most comprehensive and largest document covering 15 global challenges that affect the world.  It is a tool for The UN Council of Presidents of the General Assembly which is an organization to help the 193-UN Member States determine its logical role in dealing with one of the thorniest:  AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). Managing the transition to AGI is the most difficult management problem humanity has ever faced, A few other challenges to confront include Zero-Sum power geo-politics; the climate crisis; and global collective intelligence systems for water, energy, food, economics, education, gender, crime, ethics, and demographics.

When it comes to qualitative research, lived experience offers a wealth of valuable information that can shape and enhance the quality and relevance of public health studies. Few researchers know this better than Dr. Marissa Robinson, DrPH, MPH, RPCV, a strategic leader, visionary, and disruptor within the field of infectious disease. In today's episode, Dr. Robinson shares her perspective on the power of qualitative research, recognizing our lived experiences as data, and breaking into the public health field as a Black woman researcher. We also touch on the value of taking an ethnographic approach, the importance of holding those around you accountable, and of course, what brings Dr. Robinson joy in her work. Tune in to learn more about using qualitative research to ensure that your programs, grants, interventions, and data drive positive impact and long term solutions, bringing joy to your communities! Key Points From This Episode: Why Dr. Robinson is proud to be a person of color in the field of infectious disease. [02:01] How she broke into the space as a Black woman researcher. [04:51] Reasons that qualitative research is just as important as quantitative research. [10:09] Advice for finding your place in the vast field of public health and making an impact. [13:01] The crucial role that storytelling has played in marginalized communities. [16:48] Highlighting the value of taking an ethnographic approach to your research. [20:28] Why lived experience should be considered valuable data. [25:40] The importance of celebrating small wins and holding people accountable. [30:38] Making “good trouble” and other things that bring Dr. Robinson joy in her work. [34:15] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and, leave a review!  For more transcripts, show notes, and more visit: https://joyeewashington.com/podcast/

Dr. Marissa Robinson, DrPH, MPH, RPCV is the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative Coordinator at the US Department of Health and Human Services. She is a highly motivated international public health innovator. Marissa conferred a Bachelor in Psychology with Public Health concentration at Spelman College. Then got her Master of Public Health in Global Health at Emory University before getting her Doctor of Public Health Degree at Morgan State University.Dr. Marissa Robinson, DrPH, MPH, RPCV on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmarissarob/Support Public Health Careers: https://ko-fi.com/thephmillennial Check out full shownotes here: https://thephmillennial.com/episode150Support the showThanks for tuning in. Let's all work together towards a culture of health, wellbeing, and equity for all. ⭐⭐ SUBSCRIBE & Leave a 5-STAR REVIEW! ⭐⭐ Follow & Support:- Contribute to the show (one-time or monthly)- The Public Health Millennial on IG - The Public Health Millennial on LinkedIn - The Public Health Millennial Website- Omari Richins, MPH on LinkedIn- Support on The Public Health Store

Cogho went to the community meeting last night in Bendigo in regards to the outcome to an investigation on the local cemetery clean up situation, and this was the conversation...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer interviews  Jennifer Bangoura (Mali, 2008-10), a passionate RPCV, educator, and mother, about her careers abroad in the fields of education, environment, tech, and career services. FEATURED GUEST: Jennifer Bangoura has have nurtured a global community of leaders from Iraq to Morocco and from Mali to Malawi across industries from volunteering to the environment sector, international education, and edtech. I am passionate about lifting up, celebrating, and supporting entrepreneurs and emerging leaders. As a certified career coach, she deeply cares about equitable recruiting, hiring, and helping job seekers discover ways to unlock the job search process. Previously, she worked in international workforce development with over 60 career centers at public universities throughout Iraq and Morocco and connected with higher education administration and the private sector in Tunisia, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates and throughout the GCC. She firmly believe in helping others build their network and the power of social capital to lead to meaningful employment that makes a difference in people's lives and that of their families.PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

In this episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer interviews RPCV Carla Brown (Comoro Islands, 1992–94) about her 25-year international career focused largely on international development, including specialized experience in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion arena (DEI). FEATURED GUEST: Carla Brown  is a RPCV (Comoro Islands, 1992–94) and an accomplished senior manager with over 25 years of experience leading programs that assist poor and vulnerable populations internationally. She is proficient in portfolio management, operations management, program design, fundraising, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), strategy development and representation. Additionally, she has expertise in operationalizing strategic approaches that result in systemic change.  PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

in this episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with RPCV Laura Henderson (RPCV Togo), Director of the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship offered through the Congressional Hunger Center.  Laura shares more about this paid 2-year program which combines grassroots fieldwork in food security challenged countries with policy work at the headquarters level of an assigned counterpart agency, and why RPCVs are especially competitive. She also shares how to apply for this prestigious program. FEATURED GUESTS: Laura Henderson is an RPCV from Togo, and she is a passionate global advocate for social justice for all, poverty eradication, food security and education. She has worked for 20+ years in international development and is currently the Director of the Mickey Leland Fellowship program at the Congressional Hunger Center. She began her career working for two years as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) with US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. Laura then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo, where she introduced coffee and cocoa marketing techniques to farmers, greatly increasing their capacity, profits and overall food security.PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

In this episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer interviews Albert (Beto) Whitaker (Paraguay, 1979-81), a seasoned professional who has dedicated his 30-year career to advocating for the poor and marginalized, largely in the areas of healthcare equity and access for all. FEATURED GUEST: Albert (Beto) Whitaker  is an advocate for the poor and marginalized. He has worked diligently with various local and national stakeholders in addressing social determinants, utilizing data to improve health outcomes, and promoting a national culture of health. Throughout his 30-year career Beto has heralded health equity and quality health care for all. Currently, Beto serves as Community Impact Director Rhode Island and Northern New England with the American Heart Association. He is also actively engaged with projects that demonstrate both the importance and efficacy of clinical and community linkages. Beto is a voting member of the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (NECEPAC) of the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). He serves on the Committee on Ministry of the MA Conference of the United Church of Christ. Additionally, Rev Whitaker serves as the Senior Pastor at St. Mark Congregational Church in Boston. He holds a master's degree in Urban Ministry from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and a master's in Public Health. Beto served in Paraguay from 1979 – 1981.PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

This RPCV Leaders in Action episode of the Jobs with Jodi podcast features a conversation with returned volunteer Steve Driehaus about his unique career spanning years as a public servant--representing Ohio at both at the state level and then in Congress--and serving as a Country Director for Peace Corps in Morocco and Eswatini (Swaziland).  Don't miss this inspirational conversation. FEATURED GUEST: Steve Driehaus is Resident Senior Director in Iraq for the NationalDemocratic Institute (NDI). In this position, he manages a staff of sixteenIraqi and third country nationals who design and implement programmingto strengthen Iraq's democracy. The focus of NDI's work in Iraq centers onstrengthening political parties, professionalizing the offices and staff ofMembers of Parliament, empowering women and youth to engage in thepolitical process, and monitoring to ensure fair and impartial elections.Prior to joining NDI, Steve was President and Managing Partner at GoodGovernment Group, LLC. G3 is a consulting firm that focuses on the intersection of public policy, community engagement and economic development. Steve also served as the Executive Director of Cincinnati Compass, a regional initiative advocating on behalf of immigrants that celebrates the cultural and economic contributions being made by first generation Americans living in Greater Cincinnati. Previously Steve served as Country Director for the United States Peace Corps in Morocco where he led 150 Volunteers focused on the development of Morocco's youth population. His efforts included partnerships with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as expansion into Morocco's smaller, rural communities. Prior to Morocco, Steve served four and a half years as the Country Director for Peace Corps Swaziland where he led two projects concentrating on Community Health and Youth Development in an effort to combat Swaziland's HIV/AIDS pandemic. Steve is a former U.S. Representative for Ohio's 1st Congressional District, serving from 2009 until 2011. In Congress, he was a member of the Financial Services Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Prior to his election to Congress, he served eight years in the Ohio House of Representatives, and was elected Minority Whip from 2005-2008. Driehaus studied Political Science and Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs at Miami University earning a B.A. in 1988. After graduation, he joined the United States Peace Corps in Senegal serving as an Environmental Education Volunteer where he worked with village groups and local schools to promote sustainable environmental practices. He holds a Master's Degree in Public Affairs (M.P.A.) from Indiana University where he studied Public Finance and Comparative International Affairs. After his graduate studies, Driehaus worked as Associate Director of the Center for International Education and Development Assistance at Indiana University. While serving in this role, he coordinated the South African Internship Program, sponsored by the United States Information Agency, which became the largest professional exchange program between the United States and post-Apartheid South Africa.PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

In this Jobs with Jodi Podcast episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with RPCV and NPCA's new board chair, John Lee Evans, who shares his own experiences as well as his vision for NPCA.  FEATURED GUEST:John Lee Evans, NPCA's newly elected Board Chair, grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended the University of Madrid in Spain as an undergraduate for one year. He served in the Peace Corps in Honduras 1975–78, where he worked with rural schoolteachers and agricultural cooperative leaders in a community development agency. Following the Peace Corps, he co-founded a language institute in San Diego that utilized accelerated learning techniques to teach Spanish to local professionals. He has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and has been in private practice for 30 years, which has included working with immigrant communities. He is a member of the Cultural Diversity Committee of the San Diego Psychological Association. He has presented at the American Psychological Association on cultural and political involvement. In 2008, he was elected to the San Diego Unified School Board, overseeing a diverse student body of over 100,000 students with an operational budget of $1.2 billion. He was elected to the board for a period of 12 years and served as President of the Board for three years. He led the Vision 2020 initiative that focused on increased academic achievement and equity and earned numerous national awards.PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Services Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide. Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is here to help returned Volunteers with readjustment at home after service, provide resources to overcome challenges, and take the next steps toward healthy lives and successful careers. We're National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) — a mission-driven social impact organization that encourages and celebrates the lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals. NPCA supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community of nearly a quarter-million individuals — including current and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current and former staff, community partners around the globe, family, and friends — in our efforts to create a better world. Find out more, get the latest news for the Peace Corps community, sign up for our newsletter, and join. Basic membership is free: peacecorpsconnect.org

In this Jobs with Jodi Podcast episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with  Lisa Flores (Ecuador, 1994-96), a self-proclaimed 'non profit girl at heart who has fallen into some wonderful opportunities to serve."Lisa shares pearls of wisdom she has learned from her own  career trajectory which has been imbedded in service and giving back. FEATURED GUEST: Lisa Flores is the granddaughter of migrant laborers, and she is the first in her family to graduate from college. A former Peace Corps volunteer (Ecuador 1994-96), Lisa has continued her commitment to volunteer community service by participating on numerous community boards, including recent service on the Denver Public School Board of Education.  As a DPS board member, she delivered on improving services for students with special needs. She has also volunteered on the boards of the Latina Initiative, Children's Museum of Denver, Denver Housing Authority, Denver Public Library, and Denver Urban Renewal Authority.For the past 30 years, Lisa has worked in the nonprofit, local government and philanthropic sectors. Lisa began her career at Mi Casa Resource Center for Women and the Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council. From 1998-2003, she served as executive director of Denver Inner City Parish – a multi-generational, nonprofit community center.  Working as senior staff to former Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (2003-2006) and later philanthropic work at the Gates Family Foundation (2006-2015), afforded Lisa the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of community development, social service and civic projects.PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

This Jobs with Jodi Podcast episode explores the commitment to service that has propelled many RPCVs to dedicate their lives and careers to making a difference and doing good in the world. Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with RPCVs Thomas Hill (Russia 2000–02) and Cara George (Guatemala 2009–11), who share their ongoing journey of working to better the world in everything they do. They offer tips and advice as well as speak to areas most in need of assistance at this time. FEATURED GUESTS: Thomas Hill is a proud RPCV and senior non-profit and NGO professional with 21 years' experience, including 14 years at the senior level, in international development and humanitarian assistance. He has worked at agencies including the American & International Red Cross, Mercy Corps, and International Rescue Committee (IRC).Cara George is an RPCV and a dedicated foreign affairs and development professional with more than 15 years of foreign policy, program operations, and management experience, including overseeing a $740M U.S. Government (USG)-funded portfolio. She has extensive overseas experience, with more than two years working in Guatemala and short-term assignments for USAID, the MCC, and the State Department across East Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia.  PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

In this episode, Jodi is joined by two special guests from the State Department: George Sibley, Diplomat-in-Residence and Jason Tolub, Deputy Director of Talent Acquisition, who will be talking about the path to Foreign Service. They outline and help make sense of the many steps involved in becoming a Foreign Service Officer and share why they feel RPCVs make the best Foreign Service Officers.....COMPLETE THISFEATURED GUESTS:George Sibley is the Diplomat-in-Residence Mid-Atlantic for the U.S. Department of State. He is a seasoned diplomat having served in multiple capacities around the world, including Director of the Economic Section in India and Deputy Chief of Mission in Burma.Jason A. Tolub has a 12+ year career with the US Department of State where he currently serves as Deputy Director for the Bureau of Talent Management Office of Talent Acquisition.  He is also an RPCV, having served with Peace Corps as a University TEFL teacher in Ukraine (2006-08). PODCAST HOST:Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.  Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is here to help returned Volunteers with readjustment at home after service, provide resources to overcome challenges, and take the next steps toward healthy lives and successful careers.We're National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) — a mission-driven social impact organization that encourages and celebrates the lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals. NPCA supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community of nearly a quarter-million individuals — including current and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current and former staff, community partners around the globe, family, and friends — in our efforts to create a better world. Find out more, get the latest news for the Peace Corps community, sign up for our newsletter, and join. Basic membership is free: peacecorpsconnect.org

In this Jobs with Jodi Podcast episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with RPCV professionals working within the Innovation sector of international development who  share their own experiences as well as offer tips and advice on how to explore career opportunities in the innovation arena. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired and have your questions answered. FEATURED PANELISTS:RPCV Taylor Cruz (Eswatini 2012–14) is an innovation strategist and UX Designer based in Zambia. As an innovation consultant, she works with clients such as GIZ, JSI, and UNFPA to design and implement innovative programming and initiatives.  She previously worked at Pact, a global NGO, where she was a founding member of their innovation team and managed the incubation of early-stage innovations. With over 12 years of experience working on youth development programs in over 20 countries, she specializes in youth workforce curriculum and is a human-centered design principal facilitator. Taylor has a background in international business and has an M.A. in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship from SIT Graduate Institute in Washington, D.C., and is a 2012-2014 RPCV from eSwatini.   RPCV Garrett Mason (Liberia 2010–12) is the Chief Training Officer at Corps Africa. He has spent the past 17 years in program design, project management, teaching, and adult training. He specializes in asset-based community development, human-centered design, systems practice, leadership development, and grassroots community development and has led innovation programs in 12 countries. PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide. Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is here to help returned Volunteers with readjustment at home after service, provide resources to overcome challenges, and take the next steps toward healthy lives and successful careers. We're National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) — a mission-driven social impact organization that encourages and celebrates the lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals. NPCA supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community of nearly a quarter-million individuals — including current and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current and former staff, community partners around the globe, family, and friends — in our efforts to create a better world. Find out more, get the latest news for the Peace Corps community, sign up for our newsletter, and join. Basic membership is free: http://peacecorpsconnect.orgEdited by Catherine Gardner

As part of our Conversations with RPCV Leaders series, this podcast episode features a conversation with RPCV Charles Enciso, who discusses his career path — which has taken him coast to coast in the U.S. and around the world — working for diverse organizations, including the San Diego LGBTQ+ Center; the Humane Society; and multiple international leadership positions with Peace Corps. We also touch on his proven commitment to intercultural diversity & inclusion.FEATURED GUEST:RPCV Charles Enciso is an experienced Program Director with a demonstrated history of working in International Relations, Volunteer Programming, Nonprofit Organizations, Policy Analysis, Fundraising, and Capacity Building.His dedication to National Service includes roles such as Program Officer within the Corporation for National and Community Service to multiple leadership positions overseas with Peace Corps, including Director of Programming & Training in the Philippines and Nepal, and Country Director in Armenia. PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide. Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is here to help returned Volunteers with readjustment at home after service, provide resources to overcome challenges, and take the next steps toward healthy lives and successful careers. We're National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) — a mission-driven social impact organization that encourages and celebrates the lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals. NPCA supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community of nearly a quarter-million individuals — including current and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current and former staff, community partners around the globe, family, and friends — in our efforts to create a better world. Find out more, get the latest news for the Peace Corps community, sign up for our newsletter, and join. Basic membership is free: http://peacecorpsconnect.org

CAREERS IN MULTIMEDIA & DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS PODCASTThis Jobs with Jodi podcast episode spotlights the careers of three RPCVs working in different capacities within the multimedia and digital communications field.    Hear from RPCV featured guests Ryan Fouss, Cedar Wolf, and Orrin Luc as they discuss their own distinct career paths in the digital media field, while offering sage advice to listeners who are interested in turning their passion for storytelling via photography and videography into a career.   FEATURED GUESTS:Ryan Fouss (Eswatini 2011–13) works as creative lead and TV producer at National Geographic Channel — with proven experience in developing and managing award-winning digital marketing campaigns and the production of long-form television series. He got his start in the Office of Third Goal & Returned Volunteer Services in Peace Corps Headquarters. Born in a refugee camp in the Philippines and growing up abroad as the child of a diplomat, he has a special passion about representation and diversity within media.Cedar Wolf (Namibia 2006–08) is a Multimedia Storyteller with more than 18 years of experience in video and production. While skateboarding led him to buy his first video camera, it was through his Peace Corps service in Namibia and the Philippines that Wolf developed a lifelong passion for documenting social causes, cultural experiences, and the environment. In his spare time, he volunteers as a multimedia specialist for the Peace Corps Oral History project and teaches visual storytelling workshops. He is a former Peace Corps Recruiter where he enjoyed using his photos and videos of service to bring his presentations to life. Wolf currently lives in Colorado where he loves spending time with his daughter, wife, and father. For more information, visit his website at https://www.cedarwolf.com/Orrin Luc (El Salvador 2014–16, Mexico 2017–18) joined the National Peace Corps Association team in March 2021. As the Digital Content Manager, he designs and delivers digital messaging across all platforms, managing the creation of video, website, digital magazine, and newsletter content. He enjoys producing and editing short documentaries that showcase the NPCA's Community Fund, advocacy efforts, and Global Reentry program. Orrin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador 2014–16 and again as Peace Corps Response in Mexico 2017–18. He currently lives in Chicago, and he is happy to report that he has met and interviewed Jeff Goldblum in person. For more information, visit his Linkedin.PODCAST HOST:Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Jodi Hammer (Ecuador 1994–97), is a job coach and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide. Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is here to help returned Volunteers with readjustment at home after service, provide resources to overcome challenges, and take the next steps toward healthy lives and successful careers.

In this episode of Jobs with Jodi, we're joined by RPCV James Ham who discusses his diverse, global work experience with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Peace Corps in our Conversation with RPCV Leaders in Action. James is a staunch advocate of Peace Corps and a shining example of an effective Country Director in his current post in South Africa.  He speaks to his career of service both domestic and abroad, and his assent from temporary Country Desk Assistant in PC HQ to overseas staff in numerous oversees posts--all within Africa-- including Country Director  in Uganda and, more recently, South Africa.FEATURED GUEST:RPCV James Ham (South Africa 1996-98) is a seasoned public servant with 30 years of experience, in the sectors of public health, education, small enterprise development, and agriculture. He currently serves as Peace Corps Country Director in South Africa. Prior to this, he was Country Director for Peace Corps Uganda and he has left his mark by providing oversight in Peace Corps programs in Guinea, Ghana, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Gabon, Chad, and Burkina Faso. Above all, Mr. Ham is known for bringing his dedication to international volunteerism and his embodiment of core leadership principles.PODCAST HOST:Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Jodi Hammer (Ecuador 1994–97), is a job coach and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide. Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is here to help returned Volunteers with readjustment at home after service, provide resources to overcome challenges, and take the next steps toward healthy lives and successful careers.We're National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) — a mission-driven social impact organization that encourages and celebrates the lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals. NPCA supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community of nearly a quarter-million individuals — including current and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current and former staff, community partners around the globe, family, and friends — in our efforts to create a better world. Find out more, get the latest news for the Peace Corps community, sign up for our newsletter, and join. Basic membership is free: peacecorpsconnect.org

In this episode of the month's Ask the Career Coach edition of the Jobs with Jodi podcast, NPCA Career Consultant and fellow RPCV, Dr. Ronda Ansted, joins Jodi to chat about the importance of spring cleaning your career--much like your house--and how specifically to do so in order to keep your professional portfolio and documents updated with relevant credentials and experiences to best reflect your evolving professional brand.FEATURED GUEST:Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Dr. Ronda Ansted (South Africa 2007–09) is a career consultant and creator of the My Career Design Studio — a unique online platform designed as a 'career coach in your pocket' — assisting people in all aspects of career planning and the job search. All RPCVs have free access to this platform for four months. PODCAST HOST:Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Jodi Hammer (Ecuador 1994–97), is a job coach and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide. Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is here to help returned Volunteers with readjustment at home after service, provide resources to overcome challenges, and take the next steps toward healthy lives and successful careers.We're National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) — a mission-driven social impact organization that encourages and celebrates the lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals. NPCA supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community of nearly a quarter-million individuals — including current and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current and former staff, community partners around the globe, family, and friends — in our efforts to create a better world. Find out more, get the latest news for the Peace Corps community, sign up for our newsletter, and join. Basic membership is free: peacecorpsconnect.org

This special episode of the Jobs With Jodi podcast features an interview with RPCV founded coffee company Chica Bean Coffee. Listen in as NPCA's International Programs Coordinator Bethany sits down with Chica Bean Co-founders, Alene Seiler and Josue Martinez, as they share their company origin story. Learn how they met, and the inspiration behind founding the company, as well as the continued importance of their social impact, women empowerment mission.In honor of women's month, Chica Bean will graciously be donating 15% of their profits purchased between March 17-21, 2022 to NPCA. Click here for more information and to purchase your Chica Bean coffee, which gets delivered straight from their roaster to your doorstep within five days.Follow along and support Chica Bean on their social media. They can be found on Facebook (Chica Bean) and on Instagram (@chicabeancoffee).

Jason was a stage mate from Salena and Karol's time in Madagascar. Come explore what life was like in the north part of Madagascar. Throughout this episode you will learn how Jason's time in Madagascar help guide him to his future career and also get to hear his artistic talent, through a poem he created for this episode. Few Updates: Sorry for being late on this episode. We know its been a very long time! Salena has started to work full time as well as a side Etsy business, and Karol has made great leaps into creating her non-profit which she is close to officially registering this year (2022). We have a few episodes that are already recorded and are hoping to have those out before the end of this year. Though it has been slow, we are still open to interview any RPCV who is interested, you can fill out our interest form at: https://peacecorpstalespodcast.weebly.com/interest-form.html --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode Jodi discusses careers in Diplomatic Security within the U.S. State Department, specifically focusing on the position of Special Agent. Many of us may falsely assume that Diplomatic Security personnel are all either ex-military or former police officers, but that's not the case, and the State Department is very interested in recruiting from our talented, culturally competent pool of RPCVs for these positions. If you're interested in a career overseas, this is a great opportunity! Listen to this podcast to learn more about the position and what they're looking for from State Department Recruitment Specialist David Pernal, plus hear insight from Becky McNight (RPCV Mauritania, '03—'05), who currently serves in the role of Diplomatic Security Special Agent in The Gambia.  NOTE: The 2022 Diplomatic Security Special Agent vacancy announcement referenced in this podcast was open for one week only, and closed on February 1, 2022.  This recruitment window usually happens around the same time every year, so if you missed it this year, mark your calendar to look for it again on USAJobs next year. Featured Guests:Dave Pernal, Global Recruitment Specialist at the State Department, who shares information about opportunities and the selection process for careers with Diplomatic Security, and why RPCVs make great candidates for such positions.Becky McNight (Mauritania 2003–05) who currently works in the Diplomatic Security division of the State Department. Becky shares her own career trajectory, her fulfilling career, and how her Peace Corps service positioned her for working with Diplomatic Security.

This special podcast episode is being recorded in honor of International HIV/AIDS Awareness Month. You'll hear from accomplished RPCVs who have worked in the field of HIV/AIDS over the years, within diverse organizations and sectors, both domestically and internationally. Featured guests will discuss their experiences in the HIV/AIDS sector, how the field has changed in recent years, and provide feedback for RPCVs interested in pursuing a career in public health. FEATURED GUESTS:Lauren Erickson-Mamane,  is a seasoned public health professional with over 20 years of international development experience. Most recently, Lauren serves as the Special Initiatives Branch Chief for CDC's Division of Global HIV & TB where she leads the Division's FBO engagement and oversaw multi-functional cross-cutting special initiatives.  Lauren is a RPCV from Niger (1997-2000).Kim Seifert-Ahanda,  went from Johns Hopkins University/Center for Communication Programs back to Cameroon where she served as APCD and Director of Programming and Training, Kim eventually landed in the Office of HIV/AIDS at USAID.  She is currently the Health Office Director for USAID in Cote d'Ivoire supporting HIV/AIDS programming as well as malaria, global health security agenda, maternal and child health and family planning programs.Jasmine Buttolph, is a Global health professional with more than 16 years of experience working in Local and Federal Government, Academia, International NGOs, and UN organizations. She currently serves as Deputy Division Chief of the Strategic Information, Evaluation, and Informatics Division in the Office of HIV/AIDS in USAID.

Jobs with Jodi  hosts a conversation with RPCV Andrew Wilson who speaks on his own experience in driving innovation in several federal agencies — promoting principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration — while working in various digital communication roles, including Web Manager, before transitioning into his current leadership role of Director of the Office of the Third Goal & Returned Volunteer Services at Peace Corps. 

We are reviewing and straightening out some misperceptions about Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), a program that allows for the forgiveness of specific federal student loans in exchange for 10 years of public service in a federal, state or local government, or in select nonprofits. The PSLF program has the potential to save borrowers countless thousands of dollars. But there has been a great deal of confusion about and misinterpretation of Department of Education program guidelines by organizations and lending officials alike. That has resulted in many Peace Corps Volunteers being told incorrect information regarding their participation. This has, sadly, resulted in many RPCVs not receiving credit for their Peace Corps service towards the tenure required to receive the remainder of their loans forgiven.Our featured RPCV guests speak about their own experiences with the PSLF program, sharing what they've learned along the way, and explaining some of the recent changes Department of Education has issued that may help RPCVs gain credit for their past service after all. Links and resources mentioned in the podcast:Facebook group: Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Support (PSLF) | FacebookFacebook group: RPCVs for PSLF Relief | FacebookWaiver fact sheet: Fact Sheet: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program Overhaul | U.S. Department of EducationForbes article: Student Loan Forgiveness Changes and Who QualifiesSpecial  Guests:Katie McSheffrey, RPCV Azerbaijan 2009–11, is currently the Chief of Staff in the Office of Human Capital for the Department of the Interior. Prior to her current position, she was the Government Affairs Officer and Public Service Engagement Lead with the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. Katie also worked for Peace Corps Headquarters in multiple roles, including Special Assistant to the Deputy Director. She has a comprehensive understanding of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, based on her own experience with it, and is committed to guiding others through the complexities of the program.Sarah Kilchevskyi, RPCV Ukraine (2006–08), is also a former Peace Corps Fellow at Columbia University Teachers College. She has worked for the Social Security Administration for over a decade and holds the title of Technical Expert for her local office. Sarah has become a staunch advocate for PSLF reform based on her own challenging experience maneuvering the program and misinformation surrounding it.Sarah has advocated extensively on the congressional side of this issue and is leading efforts to organize RPCVs around understanding and advocating for needed changes in the rollout of the program to ensure RPCVs can benefit fully from the program. Please note that Sarah Kilchevskyi participates in this podcast in a personal capacity, and her views do not represent the views of any agency or organization. 

This week's Sector Spotlight Podcast will focus on the increasingly in-demand field of Refugee & Resettlement work, spotlighting four RPCV professionals working in the field, sharing about their own careers and spotlighting the many career opportunities available.  Resources on job opportunities and organizations have been listed below in the description.Special Guests:1) Anneke Valk, RPCV/Georgia 2013-15, is a Regional Refugee Health Office for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants where she manages the Refuge Medical Assistance Program for Tennessee and Michigan. She is also the Local Liaison Coordinator for Peace Corps Community for Refugees.2) Anne Scheid Jasinski, RPCV/Jamaica 1991–93, is the Director of Refugee Resettlement at Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio and works for Catholic  Charities in Ohio as Refugee Resettlement Services Director. She brings 30+ years' experience working with culturally diverse individuals and communities.3) Erin Morrell, RPCV/Jordan, works as a bilingual Arabic caseworker for the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program of Ascentria Care Alliance, a Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) affiliate in Worcester, Mass 4) Gianna Bennett, RPCV/Panama, works at the Americana Community Centere, serving refugees in Louisville and is an active member of the Peace Corps Community for Refugees (PCC4R.)Resources on job opportunities and organizations:Ascentria Care AllianceCatholic Charities Southwestern OhioChurch World ServiceEpiscopal Migration MinistriesEthiopian Community Development CouncilHIASInternational Rescue CommitteeIRIS National FairPeace Corps Community for RefugeesLutheran Immigration and Refugee ServiceU.S. Committee for Refugees and ImmigrantsU.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (Catholic Charities)World  Relief

Jobs with Jodi focuses on the area of  gender equality and women's empowerment, with two seasoned RPCV professionals who have worked in that sector both domestically and internationally. Both guests have extensive experience in the field, with organizations ranging from federal sector players such as USAID and State Department, to international and domestic nonprofits committed to women's empowerment and gender equality.Featured panelists offer tips and advice based on their own experience in the field, and speak to the variety of opportunities within this growing sector.  Resources provided by the special guests are linked below.FEATURED PODCAST PANELISTS include:RPCV Sylvia Cabus, who has 20+ years of international development experience focused on gender, including substantial federal sector experience working in leadership roles ranging from senior gender advisor at USAID to her more recent position as gender specialist at Peace Corps Headquarters.RPCV Sue Richiedei, who has dedicated 35 years to improving the lives of women around the world. She is founder and, up until a year ago, the senior director of  Counterpart International's WomenLead Institute and the 2019 winner of the Deborah Harding Women of Achievement Award.Resources: So You Want to Work in Gender and Development.... a compilation of resources by Sylvia Cabus Websites for Career Opportunities at USAID

This podcast features special guest and  RPCV Leaders in Action features a conversation with Helene Dudley. She is a two-time RPCV and founder/Executive Director of TCP Global, an award-winning micro-lending program empowering underserved populations in 14 countries. Come learn about her unique background and inspirational program, TCP Global.In 2000, she collaborated with other Colombia RPCVs to establish The Colombia Project to help people displaced by violence in Colombia to reestablish financial independence. By 2016, the program had evolved as TCP Global and engaged the National Peace Corps Association as its 501c3 and fiscal agent. Since 2016, TCP Global has issued over 8900 loans worth $1.5 million in 14 countries. Helene is the executive director.  FEATURED GUEST: Helene Dudley served in the Peace Corps in Colombia (1968-70) and Slovakia (1997-99). She is a past president of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida and past president of the Rotary Club of Coconut Grove,  Florida.

Jobs with Jodi will focus on  spotlighting RPCV representatives from theWorkplace Affiliate Groups (WAGs) within two Federal Agencies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  Featuring three special guests will share about their own career experiences, and how their WAG is organized to assist RPCVs.Special Guests:Sandra Wright-Fofanah, Global Health Specialist, Office of Director, CDC. An active member of the CDC  WAG.Emily Teachout,  Health Scientist, CDC. A WAG  Executive Board member.Jason Rush, Public Health Analyst, HRSA. A WAG  Recruit Liaison for RPCVs @ HRSA.

Interested in living and working internationally? One way to do so is to consider teaching abroad. This podcast episode focuses on the myriad of ways to teach internationally.  Whether through private international American schools or unique programs like the State Department's English Language Fellows program, there's a variety of options available which you'll learn more about from RPCVs who have done just that.Special guests include Jennifer Gonzales, RPCV/evacuee from Namibia, and English Language Fellow with the State Department, who will chat about both her in-person and  virtual experience providing support to international programs, while lending advice to anyone interested in exploring these unique opportunities. Our second guest, Zane Dickey, is a seasoned educator within 20+ years of experience in International Schools around the world in locations including Madagascar, Senegal, Mali and Indonesia. He'll talk about tapping into and growing within the international school arena, including his more recent role as an Advisor, College Counselor and Career Coach in the International School system of Madagascar.

Jobs with Jodi talks with two special guests about National Peace Corps Associations Community Fund-- — a grant award program which supports the continued service and global social impact of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers through grant awards and social impact capacity building opportunities.Specical Guests:Bethany Leech, International Programs Coordinator with NPCA, she shares insight on the Community Fund she manages.Meisha Robinson, RPCV, who was assisted by the Fund for her project "I am, We are".

In this podcast, we interview two RPCV leaders--Mary Owen-Thomas (RPCV The Philippines) and Venchele Saint Dic (RPCV Senegal)--on their collective experience serving on various Board of Directors, and the impact these commitments have had on their personal and professional development.Our special guests share about their distinct career trajectories and journeys to stepping into board positions, why they did it, and what they've learned from the experience.  They express the rewards and benefits of being a member on a Board of Directors, and the skills that can be gained and referenced for other career positions.

This special podcast is dedicated to the field of peacebuilding, featuring special guest, RPCV & Peace Activist Chic Dambach, [former] President and CEO of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, talking about his own journey to peacebuilding and offering tips for those who wish to follow in his footsteps.Chic Dambach, an anti-war activist and nominee for the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, played a key role in bringing peace to Ethiopia and Eritrea, and will share from his wealth of experience on how we can work towards a world at peace, while answering questions from the live [virtual] audience.Podcast host Jodi Hammer, taps into Chic Dambach's well seasoned life experiences that truly exemplify carrying on the Peace Corps goals outside of volunteering.   These amazing stories will energize any human to continue advocate for a peaceful world in any career they pursue.

In this episode of Jobs with Jodi you'll hear from seasoned professionals and SID-W members, on their diverse work experiences in the ID field, as well as their involvement with SID-W, the largest and most active of the chapters of this knowledge-based membership-driven organization that brings together diverse, ID professionals from around the world to share, learn and network. You'll also learn in this episode how you can attend SID-W's annual career conference FREE later this month (May 26-27)--a great networking opportunity! This will be an exciting [virtual] event that will provide rich insight into the field and plenty of time to interact, network and learn from each other.  The coupon code/directions needed for free RPCV entrance will be shared within the podcast taping. 

This week, our special RPCV guests focused on the world of Academia, describing the many opportunities to work within the field. Joseph Lanning, Professor and Program Director, shared his extensive career in academia and how he has been able to weave his Peace Corps host community into his work in academia!   Aly Degang, Chair, MA Sustainable Development at SIT, shared from her own wealth of experience in a role supporting international programs. She also answered many questions on Graduate school & doctorate studies. 

Kyle Maronie is an RPCV thats served Cameroon. He works in public health preparedeness with Harris County Public Health in Houston Texas. He is native son of the Commonwealth of Dominica and was raised in Houston, Texas.

 This week's special guest is RPCV Ashley Hamilton who has served as a USAID Foreign Service Officer, Payne Fellow, and more recently as founder and CEO of Prism Lacquers, a social enterprise startup. Ashley uses her platform "to highlight social justice issues and draw attention to the things we can do to help." 

In our second Pod Corps episode, we hear stories from Black RPCVs about what their Peace Corps experiences were like serving in Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Jamaica, Botswana, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Vanuatu.  We handed off the mic to our RPCV friends, David and Jasmine, to host this honest, uplifting and eye opening conversation. Thank you Natalie, Dom, Aisha, Missi and Ray for sharing your stories.  If you have feedback, either leave us a voice message in the Anchor app or feel free to email us at podcorps@gmail.com. 

Join us for our weekly podcast featuring select employers, sectors, and topics of interest to the RPCV population, featuring different guests each week. This week, we chatted with Ambassador Greg Engle (ret.) who spoke to his distinguished career in diplomacy, sharing pearls of [career] wisdom for young (and other) professionals!

Featured guest, RPCV and Diplomat Kathleen [Corey] Corey, speaks about her serendipitous career path which has included 32 years of dedicated service between Peace Corps leadership positions like Country Director of Sri Lanka and North Macedonia and Foreign Service Officer tours in Honduras and Argentina. She also shares about the Women of Peace Corps Legacy affinity group she serves as the President of and spotlights the interesting work they are doing.

Join us for our weekly podcast featuring select employers, sectors, and topics of interest to the RPCV population. This week, we hosted a conversation with RPCV & Executive Coach Jodi Glickman, as part of our Conversations with RPCV Leaders in Action theme.Jodi spoke on her own career and the impact of her Peace Corps service, as well as to the art of perfecting your pitch in the job search, a concept she's especially passionate about. Come be inspired!

This episode features Barry Moline, RPCV Guatemala (1988-90) and Executive Director at California Municipal Utilities Association, speaking from his substantial experience in the public sector, and sharing nuggets of wisdom as a Communications, Leadership, and Teamwork Expert. His sage advice is helpful for anyone looking to be more productive in their professional life or job search.

This week's podcast features several RPCVs working within the environmental or environmental advocacy field, speaking to their own careers, field of work, and tips for RPCV job seekers interested in this vital field. These professionals will also spotlight some of the amazing work the RPCVs for Environmental Action (RPCV4EA) affinity group is doing and how interested persons can get involved virtually. Panelists include: Lila Holzman (RPCV-Panama) is the Energy Program Manager at As You Sow (environmental advocacy)Julien Joy (Ethiopia 2016-2018) is a master in public policy candidate at the Harvard Kennedy SchoolCaitlin Dickson is a PC volunteer evacuated from Fiji in March; supported RPCVs for Environmental Action group as IT Specialist and recently landed a new job in the environmental field!Click here to access the RPCV4EA website.

Confused by the federal hiring process? Having trouble understanding the job posting with all the acronyms? If so, this special edition of the Jobs with Jodi outlines the federal hiring process and clarifies Noncompetitive Eligibility (NCE) for the RPCV job seeker.

This week's episode features a conversation with RPCV Maricarmen Smith-Martinez as part of our Conversations with RPCV Leaders in Action theme. Maricarmen speaks to her own experience, and her rise to her current role as both President of the NPCA Board of Directors, and her job as Director of the International Development Sector at Bixal, a woman-owned small business with nearly 20 years of experience working on large-scale digital communications and technology projects for clients ranging from USAID to the World Bank to the March of Dimes.

Join Jodi and featured RPCV panelists from one of the leaders in the field, International Rescue Committee (IRC). Is Refugee and Asylum work of interest to you? If so, listen to our RPCV's talk about their own experiences working in various areas of the organization, ranging from field programming to fundraising to leadership in HQ.

Join us for our monthly employer spotlight edition of the Jobs with Jodi podcast. In this episode we feature USAID and various paths into this popular employer. Included in the discussion will be NCE and other special programs including the unique Payne Fellow program for graduate students which allows selected Fellows to be converted into Foreign Service Officers upon completion of their training. Our guests will include various RPCV employees of USAID talking about their own experience and pathway into this coveted organization.

This episode features a special conversation with the RPCV and 'Money Gal', Kelly Blodgett, who will share her personal journey into (and out of) debt using simple principles of budgeting — plus a Q&A time about debt, student loans, and budgeting!

Much of the time we take it for granted that we have a safe water. This panel explores the creative ways in which these two organizations provide clean and safe water for those who do not have it. Jon Kaufman is the Director of H2OpenDoors, a project of Rotary International. Kaufman brings together the best-in-class providers of water purification, smart solar nanogrids and satellite internet technologies to create water and power hubs. The most impoverished villages throughout the world are mentored on creating enterprise through these unique approaches, fostering self reliance rather than continual dependence. Averill Strasser of Water Charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping people access clean drinking water and improved sanitation. In 14 years, Water Charity has done more than 6,000 water, sanitation and public health projects in 78 countries. Averil is an RPCV (returned Peace Corps volunteer) who served in Bolivia. In addition, Water Charity is a proud supporter and partner of the National Peace Corps Association. Frank Price, RPCV Côte d'Ivoire, a Northern California Peace Corps Association East Bay Board representative, will moderate this program. MLF ORGANIZER Frank Price NOTES MLF: International Relations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the PC Tales podcast! We're excited to share RPCV tales with you, come see show notes at www.peacecorpstalespodcast.weebly.com. New Episodes will launch on Wednesdays!

Our new RPCV Leaders in Action series features interviews with distinguished RPCV guests and leaders in their industries who speak about lessons learned from Peace Corps and the role their service has played in helping them get to where they are today.This week Jodi interviews Peace Corps Albania Country Director, Kate Becker, who will share from her wealth of experience which includes leadership roles in the National Service arena and with KaBoom!, an award-winning non-profit building safe playgrounds for communities in need.Music by Joseph McDade.

Born of an idea first uttered in October 1960 at an impromptu speech by then Senator John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps was officially established on 1 March 1961. In its first year Peace Corps volunteers served in just 5 countries. Six short years later 14,500 volunteers had served in 55 countries around the world. To date more than 240,000 volunteers have served in 142 host countries. Due to COVID-19, all of those volunteers have been recalled to the United States. But that doesn't stop former volunteers from singing the praises of the program and its great works. A BETTER PEACE welcomes four volunteers of the Peace Corps organization "To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans" the third goal of the organization. Brad Arsenault, Steven Saum, Maricarmen Smith-Martinez, and Joby Taylor all join our podcast editor Ron Granieri in the studio to discuss their Peace Corps experiences. It is their hope to inspire the next generation to selfless service so that once the pandemic is managed, the Peace Corps can continue its mission "To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women" and "To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served."   My reasons for joining the Peace Corps were somewhat simplistic and somewhat idealistic. I knew that I wanted to live outside of the United States, and I knew that I wanted to help people.   Brad Arsenault was a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon and is a Foreign Service Officer with USAID. He is a graduate of the AY20 Resident Class of the U.S. Army War College. Joby Taylor was a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon and is the current Director of the Shriver Center Peaceworker Fellows Program. Steven Saum was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine and is the Director of Strategic Communications/Editor, WorldView Magazine for the National Peace Corps Association. Maricarmen Smith-Martinez was a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica and is a program manager at Bixal, a digital communications, design, and technology, company co-owned by an RPCV. She was elected to serve as Chair of the National Peace Corps Association Board of Directors in 2018. Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo Description: Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) keep serving throughout their lives. We provide resources to support returned Volunteers and to showcase the Third Goal of the Peace Corps mission - To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Peace Corps  

In our third episode, we had the opportunity to reconnect with fellow Bolivia 12er Alicia (Gray) London in late June 2020 and got caught up on her amazing life which included several missions in international service all around the world. Alicia served as a basic sanitation volunteer in the small town of Saavedra in the Santa Cruz Province. She currently lives in San Francisco with her husband Adam and their two young daughters, Adabella and Althea. Alicia is writing a middle grade novel set in Bolivia; the first chapter of which is featured in the Noyo River Review as a contest winner of the Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. During our conversation we learned about her time spent in the field, not only with water sanitation projects but also with emergency aid and relief efforts in places like Indonesia and Honduras. We then spent time reflecting on the excitement and sense of adventure that motivated her to travel, live, and work in different countries; a desire that was shaped by her indelible time spent as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia. Available where most podcasts are found, including iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Anchor Bolivia 12 Podcast Episode Home Page

In our second episode, we got the chance to spend time with fellow Bolivia 12er Thaleon Tremain in late June 2020 to catch up on his life post-Peace Corps, and learn about his two decades career in the farmer-owned coffee movement, where he advanced ideas inspired during his service. Thaleon “León" Tremain served as a small business volunteer at the FEDEAGRO cooperative in Monteagudo, Chuquisaca, Bolivia. Thaleon is a co-founder and CEO of Pachamama Coffee Cooperative of Small-Scale Coffee Producers. Pachamama Coffee is a farming cooperative owned by over 200,000 coffee farming families across five countries, which sells and distributes coffee, as well as operates cafes in the United States. During the episode, we got Thaleon's perspective on a wide variety of things while reflecting on how he has maintained deep connections with farmers and his international service through his career post-Peace Corps.

This week's podcast is focused on storytelling as a vehicle of self-expression and connection, which can help you with everything from readjustment to scoring that dream job! This episode features two RPCV guests:Meleia Egger, accomplished storyteller, poet, RPCV and Third Goal Extraordinaire, talks about the important role storytelling has played in her life, both personally and professionally, and how to master the art of storytelling.Our second guest, Greg Emerson, is a journalist, editor and host of the Peace Corps Stories: The Unofficial Podcast, which presents an unfiltered, uncensored look at Peace Corps service as told by RPCVs sharing their experiences. He shares tips and advice for effective storytelling and what he's learned along the way.ResourcesNYCPCA - https://peacecorpsnyc.org/Peace Corps Stories: The Unofficial Podcast https://peacecorpsnyc.org/peace-corps-stories-the-unofficial-podcast/Music: "Quiet Calculation" By Joseph McDade

This week's podcast will feature a discussion on all things interviewing--tips as well as best (and worst) practices in your quest to win over an employer in the interview. Plus, we'll showcase mini mock interviews with RPCV participants wishing to build their skills in a live 'virtual' setting. Special guest will be Nik Crain, certified Global Career Development Facilitator and former Career Development Specialist with Peace Corps' RPCV Career Center who currently works at OPM's Center for Leadership and Training. Nik has a wealth of experience in coaching RPCVs and others to success in the job search, in both the private and federal sector.

Join us for a chat with three successful RPCV Entrepreneurs who have applied the insight and skills gained through Peace Corps to develop products using resources from and empowering local residents within their countries of services. Our guests will discuss their journeys to entrepreneurship, share tips for others considering such a path, and answer questions from the audience participating in this live taping of the podcast. Featured guests include:Evan Delahanty, RPCV Suriname (Peaceful Fruit)Rahama Wright, RPCV Mali (Shea Yeleen) Matthew Jordan, RPCV Mozambique (Gorongosa Coffee) Music: "Quiet Calculation" By Joseph McDade

In which your host interviews Nathan Pauls, his second contestant in the show's accidental Nicest Guy from New Jersey Competition. Highlights include Nathan's account of his first and only winter in Mongolia's coldest province, zen and the art of woodchopping, the Naadam festival of "three manly sports," and his short-lived Mongolian wrestling career. Nathan and his girlfriend are currently enjoying some quality quarantine time in Santiago, Chile.

In which your host riffs on a very stupid anecdote to a ladyfriend to remain nameless.

In which your host, unsure of whether he is the type of dude who goes voluntarily tumbling down rabbit holes, proceeds to go tumbling down a rabbit hole on his own volition and (for the moment) suspects that he knows darn well what he has encountered down there (though, as you will see in Vols. 3 and 4, plenty of entirely possible (if not more probable) explanations yet remain, many of them still more puzzling than those presented in this edition).

In which your host attempts to comprehend the universe and ultimately falls on his face.

In which your profoundly sober host engages with his former boss in an effort to arrive at the truth.

In which your host and return guest Kelly Branyik take altogether too long to establish the day of the fucking week, then move onto broader topics: The Chonx (the largest city on earth), the potential extermination of humanity by the Chinese coronavirus (endemic to Kelly's Xi'an), and the extermination of Peace Corps China by forces external to the Peace Corps itself -- whatever the Wall Street Journal or NPR or Axios or Marco Rubio (@rubella)would have you believe. The convo ends on a heartwarming note, and Ms. Branyik invites y'all RPCV China volunteers to contribute your video snippets to her ongoing multimedia project to celebrate this bad-ass thing we were all in some semi-coherent way a part of.

After 26 years, Peace Corps China (under pressure from the United States government) is ceasing its operations this June. Your host posits a perplexing game show question: who, d'ye reckon, is bullshitting you, here? Is it The Peace Corps, or is it Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)? The first listener to answer the question correctly will receive a 2016 FOX News Republican Primary Debate "Little Marco" commemorative pog. Full Statement by Currently Serving Peace Corps China Volunteers, in Response to Senator Rubio’s Remarks: As volunteers in Peace Corps China, we are shocked and disappointed about the administration’s decision to discontinue the China program. This decision was made without consulting staff or volunteers in China, and appears to be a budgetary, politically motivated action that does not reflect the Peace Corps mission, nor the quality of work volunteers carry out in China. For twenty six years, as an apolitical volunteer organization, Peace Corps China has created invaluable person to person connections between our two countries. Those relationships are more important than ever in light of the current US-China relationship. This abrupt decision comes at a time when US diplomatic capacity and resources have been systematically hollowed out. We fear this is a continuation of that trend and are heartbroken by the news.

In which your host addresses the passing of one of his fellow — and most beloved — Peace Corps volunteers. Like the rest of my cohorts, I am at a loss for words, so I shall let The Pogues tell it. So long, Pete. We will make this world a better place in your absence. Promise.

In this mega-mini podcast, your host draws from his three-ish years teaching and living in the Han Chinese world (in both Sichuan Province and Taiwan) in order to explain why the looming Golden Age of China isn't such a great thing for the world, and why America (in its current incarnation) will do precisely nothing to help their long-time allies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or elsewhere — both because their leadership is beholden to the very same corrupt, authoritarian, semi-superpowers of the world doing the dirt, and because America (to some extent) has become just such a place itself. Admittedly, this is very much an opinion piece — objectivity bedamned — and your host happens to possess an especially defined opinion on the matter. Fuck authoritarianism in all its forms, and 香港加油!

In which your host settles a festering nine-year-old bet with fellow RPCV and arch nemesis Andrew Moose by ingesting one hundred hua jiao (Sichuanese numbing peppers) to the tune of Sunn O))). While nothing so degrading can exactly be termed a success, your host is pleasantly surprised by all of the ways in which the experiment was not an unmitigated disaster and a permanent stain on his reputation. Your move, Moose.

This episode is something a little different. Today, I talk about calling your friends and family in your community of service once you become an RPCV. [...] The post Call Home – Staying Connected with Your Community After Service appeared first on My Peace Corps Story.

In which your host engages in his first-ever three-way and enjoys a completely fascinating conversation about the Navajo Nation. A bonus anecdote re: The Great Flood of Dazhou is included at the very end.

In which your host and his guest discuss the fragile majesty that is Madagascar. Anecdotes include a Speed-esque flaming bus scenario, a traditional circumcision festival, and a rare example of endocannabalistic foreskin consumption.

In which your host and the delightful Denver Governor assess the People's Republic of China from two different perspectives, seven years removed.

Keith Petit is both a fellow RPCV and podcaster, host of the Expatriate Act podcast. As an English teacher in China, he worked to break his students out of the mold of rote memorization while navigating around sensitive cultural topics such as Tibet and Tiananmen Square.  [...] The post Ep #038: Keith Petit, China 2009-2011 appeared first on My Peace Corps Story.

In which Your Host and the delightful Kelly Branyik (RPCV China - 2014-2016) bond over cats, disaffected students, and the most challenging Posh Corps assignments of their lives. Check out and/or buy her book here: https://www.amazon.com/Depends-Guide-Peace-Corps-ebook/dp/B07582K9JK Explore her Chongqing-esque sprawling blog empire here: https://travelbranyik.com/

The Show returns to its bread-and-butter -- Kyrgyzstan and the People's Republic of China -- as Your Host sits down with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program director, two-time RCPV (Kyrgyzstan/China), and Actual Dad Pete Tarantola. The two gentlemen bond over post-Soviet and contemporary Chinese squalor, refer euphemistically several times to "The Administration," and conclude the interview with a flourish: an epic Peace Corps shit story in which neither Your Host nor Mr. Tarantola are in any way implicated.

Memoirist, RPCV, and fellow podcaster Tyler Lloyd enters the Circuitous Mental Exploratorium for a sprawling conversation about his experience in Burkina Faso, the characters he encountered there, his completely horrifying HIV/AIDS scare, and the windfall/fallout that followed the publication of his first book. According to your wont, feel free to order Mr. Lloyd's Peace Corps memoir, Service Disrupted, via Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Service-Disrupted-Peace-Corps-Story/dp/0692922202/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522543467&sr=8-1&keywords=service+disrupted+my+peace+corps+story While you're at it, check out his podcast at https://mypeacecorpsstory.com -- a show that Your Host will be gracing with his unseemly, bloviating presence within the coming weeks.

At the buttcrack before the buttcrack of dawn, your host sat down with RPCV Robin Fowles to flesh out Jamaica in full: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the consistently disorienting aspects of its culture. From butterknife robberies to taxi cab heists to Miss Mash and her promise of a brighter future, your Midwestern host and his Midwestern guest bond on the significance of busting ass in order to make minor differences in the hope that they result in meaningful societal change at some imperceptible time down the road.

In this unusually tranquil episode (in which no one -- not even your host -- is killed*, seriously injured, or driven to drink in excess), the ebullient Davin Hattaway talks Cape Verde before it became Cabo Verde, and sheds light on how a chain of obscure volcanic boulders in the Atlantic Ocean coalesced into one of the most dynamic, prosperous, and culturally rich countries in all of Africa. *A nonspecific number of cats expire from natural causes during the course of this interview.

Following a brief reexamination of the activities of a now-defunct exotic reptile smuggling ring, your host and fellow China RPCV Charles Eichacker get all granular on Sichuan Province, with an eye toward sussing out what exactly this China place is all about. The episode concludes with a sleepwalking misadventure and a Trans-Siberian tale of woe.

In which a truly heroic woman brings water to one city, narrowly evades death by water in another, and in the meanwhile some dude is just sitting there eating dog dick hot pot with his best bro on his birthday.

In one fell swoop, delightful RPCV Ninu Sidhu breaks the internet-based radio show's longstanding glass ceiling and completely transmogrifies the host's perception of Liberia: a land of great hospitality, of reasonable stability, and perhaps even of some measure of hope. This episode is a slow burner. Put on a cup of coffee. Drop some acid. Go on a road trip. It's your life; I can't decide these things for you.

In which your host and RPCV Gary Glass, Jr. have an improbably erudite conversation for an hour and fifteen minutes before arriving at the conclusion that all human beings are assholes.

RPCV Joseph "Joe" Franz makes his metaphysical pilgrimage to our host's basement studio in Omahemia to discuss the current state of America 2.0: Liberia. After a brief and somewhat antiquated-sounding trip back to blogspot.com circa 2009, Mr. Franz details the good that he did, the bad that he saw, and escorts his befuddled host through the finer (and more absurd) points of Liberian culture, history, and cuisine.

RPCV Vijay Ram sits down with your host to discuss the perils of smoking on the shitter, Jordanian boulder battles, localized space heaters, extraterrestrial host brothers, and misanthropic volunteerism.

You've seen her help lead GAD trainings and post relaxing hammock photos, but do you know her thoughts on RPCV-gate or her constructive criticisms for me about diversity and representation for the podcast? Check out this week's interview to get to know Jess a little better. Enjoy!

CDC/RPCV Panel on Health Issues along the Zambesi River Amy L. Boore, Associate Director for Science, CDC Mozambique, Elizabeth A. Downes, Associate Clinical Professor of Nursing, Emory University, and Heather Jordan, Field Operations Officer, Vanderbilt Institute of Global Health

This episode features an interview with an RPCV who served in Panama. She discusses her re-adjustment to living in the United States during the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Socorra performs a song from her new album, and discusses her upcoming national tour of Morocco.

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with recent RPCV Dina Navar (Costa Rica) to discuss her Peace Corps experiences and specifically her role as a mentee and mentor in the National Peace Corps Association's Mentoring program. Dina Navar served as a Rural Community Development Volunteer in Costa Rica where after following her two-year commitment, she served a third year as a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader (PCVL).  After finishing her Peace Corps service, she participated in the National Peace Corps Association’s mentoring program as a mentee and mentor to recently returned volunteers.  She currently serves as a Mentoring Special Advisor on the National Peace Corps Association Serving Volunteer Advisory Council (SVAC).  

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with Alex Hill. Alex served with Bonnie in Peace Corps Mongolia from 2010-2012. Listen in as Alex describes her Peace Corps experience, as well as some of the differences between working in a country as a volunteer and then as the lead English instructor for the American University of Mongolia. Listen here.

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with John Mark King, a former Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Uzbekistan. John Mark is currently the director of American University of Mongolia's English Language Institute. Listen in as they discuss opportuntiies for teaching English and living abroad and some of John Mark's experiences of being both a Peace Corps Volunteer and an American living abroad.

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with Lauren Bernstein, a currently serving community youth development volunteer in Morocco, to discuss marketing projects as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Lauren shares how her prior experience in marketing in New York City has helped her gain support for projects during her Peace Corps experience. She also shares tips for blogging and talks about her involvement with the National Peace Corps Association's Serving Volunteer Advisory Council, which she serves on as the Public Relations Senior Advisor.  Listen here

In this interview, Travis sits down with Amparo Garcia. Amparo served as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Mali as Start-up Coordinator for Stomping Out Malaria in Africa (Peace Corps/President's Malaria Initative) in 2011. Stomping Out Malaria in Africa was built on the vision that through strategic partnerships, targeted training and mobilization of Volunteers, intelligent use of information technology, and radically efficient use of seed funding, Peace Corps will focus the efforts of over 3,000 Volunteers in sub-Saharan Africa to make an immediate and measurable impact in the fight against malaria.Listen in here.

In this interview, Julie and Travis discuss the flexibility that comes with being a Peace Corps Volunteer, the community and network that comes with being part of the Peace Corps family, and what it's like to be a Volunteer. This is a great look at the Peace Corps experience for any future Volunteers out there!

Joe Salvatore is Marketing Director for  Madécasse (pronounced mah-day-kas) which is a social business founded by RPCVs making local chocolate in Madagascar following their "beyond fair trade" principles. The founders of the company have spent over 10 years combined working and living in Madagascar as Peace Corps Volunteers, and beyond. The island became home and the people their families and friends. Their products represent that personal connection to the island, a deeper understanding of the rich and complex flavors hidden inside the varieties of cocoa, vanilla and peppercorns found exclusively in Madagascar.Listen to the entire interview here.

In this interview Travis sits down with Ross Szabo, current RPCV and blogger for the Huffington Post. Ross chronicled his experiences in Peace Corps while serving in Botswana from 2010-2012. Travis and Ross talk about representing the Peace Corps community, finishing up service, and looking forward to adjusting from being a currently serving volunteer to a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Read more of Ross' work at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ross-szabo/Interview with Ross SzaboListen to the entire interview here.

In this interview, Travis sits down with Molly, who served as a PCV in Mali from 2002 to 2004 and now serves as Manager of Online Initatives for the National Peace Corps Association. She launched and now manages the online platforms for the National Peace Corps Association, AfricaRuralConnect.org and PeaceCorpsConnect.org, as well as NPCA’s social network that boasts over 26,000 members. 

In this interview, Travis sits down with Jessica, who served in Zambia as a Peace Corps Volunteer and was medically evacuated after she contracted HIV. Her popular blog, No Going Back. There Is Only Forward. follows her story, medical evacuation from Peace Corps and her current adventure as she applies to be reinstated as a PCV. To see a few favorite Big Ideas + Other Cool Stuff from this week visit en*theos Radio. Listen to the interview here.

In this interview, Travis sits down with Don Drach, who leads networking workshops at Peace Corps headquarters for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and also volunteers with the National Peace Corps Association's Mentoring Program. To see a few favorite Big Ideas + Other Cool Stuff from this week visit en*theos Radio. Listen to the interview here.