Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Jody Olson. Jody is currently co-president of the Women of Peace Corps Legacy and is chair of the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation Park Advisory Committee and the University of Maryland, College of Education Board of Visitors.

Podcast Host:
Josephine (Jody) Olsen served as Peace Corps Director, 2018 – 2021. In March, 2020, because of the COVID outbreak, she led the nine day evacuation of all 7,000 Peace Corps Volunteers from 61 countries. Jody was a Peace Corps Volunteer, Tunisia, 1966-1968, and has served the agency in five other senior positions, including Deputy Director. Her memoir about her decades of Peace Corps service, A Million Miles, My Peace Corps Journey, will be available Oct. 2024. 

For a decade, Jody was Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland-Baltimore and director of the Center for Global Education. In the 90’s, she was Director of the organization that manages the Fulbright Senior Scholar Program. Jody received a BS from the University of Utah, and a Master’s and PhD from the University of Maryland. Her many awards include University of Maryland President’s Award, University of Utah’s alumni of the year award, and two honorary doctorates. She has also been a Resident Fellow at the IOP Harvard Kennedy School.

Podcast Host:
Maryann Minutillo has an extensive career in international development and public service. She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy and a co-founder of the Foreign Service Youth Foundation. She has served as a mentor for mid-level professionals at Peace Corps for WPCL since the program began. Prior to her work at Peace Corps, Maryann was Director of the Department of State’s Family Liaison Office. In this position she oversaw community, education and family support programs at the State Department and United States Embassies throughout the world.  She was Peace Corps Country Director in Bolivia, Acting Regional Director and Chief of Operations for the Inter-America and Pacific Region and Senior Advisor to six Directors of Peace Corps.  Throughout her life, Maryann has had a strong interest in cultural adaptation and the impact of international transition and crisis situations on families and particularly on women’s careers.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Deborah Harding. Women of Peace Corps Legacy's Women of Achievement Award is named after Deborah, to recognize women leaders who have made a significant difference in the lives of women and girls around the world.

Featured Guest:
Deborah Harding was the founder of the Liberian Education Trust, a transition initiative to help rebuild the education system destroyed by 14-years of civil war.  The Trust brought access to education for thousands of Liberian girls and market women.  She was co-founder of the Network for Human Rights in Liberia in the mid-80s.  In 2013 President Johnson Sirleaf honored Debbie with Liberia’s highest civilian award Dame Grand Commander Humane Order of African Redemption for her support to the Liberian nation.  Debbie undertook ensuring gender equality in recruitment and placement of Peace Corps Volunteers and in hiring country directors in the mid-70s.  She established the Women in Development Program at the Peace Corps and had its language included in the Peace Corps Act.  She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL).

In addition, Debbie has a significant leadership history in  other international organizations, including the Soros Foundation, the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., and the Cambodian Crisis Center, most of which you will hear about in this two-part podcast.

Podcast Host:
Kathleen Corey is past president of Women of Peace Corps Legacy.  She spent sixteen years with Peace Corps getting her start as a Volunteer in Liberia.  She has been Country Director in North Macedonia and Sri Lanka and held various headquarter positions responsible for opening Peace Corps China, Cambodia, and numerous countries in the Former Soviet Union.  As a retired diplomat, she currently teaches various courses to Department of State employees at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls. 

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Deborah Harding. Women of Peace Corps Legacy's Women of Achievement Award is named after Deborah, to recognize women leaders who have made a significant difference in the lives of women and girls around the world.

Featured Guest:
Deborah Harding was the founder of the Liberian Education Trust, a transition initiative to help rebuild the education system destroyed by 14-years of civil war.  The Trust brought access to education for thousands of Liberian girls and market women.  She was co-founder of the Network for Human Rights in Liberia in the mid-80s.  In 2013 President Johnson Sirleaf honored Debbie with Liberia’s highest civilian award Dame Grand Commander Humane Order of African Redemption for her support to the Liberian nation.  Debbie undertook ensuring gender equality in recruitment and placement of Peace Corps Volunteers and in hiring country directors in the mid-70s.  She established the Women in Development Program at the Peace Corps and had its language included in the Peace Corps Act.  She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL).

In addition, Debbie has a significant leadership history in  other international organizations, including the Soros Foundation, the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., and the Cambodian Crisis Center, most of which you will hear about in this two-part podcast.

Podcast Host:
Kathleen Corey is past president of Women of Peace Corps Legacy.  She spent sixteen years with Peace Corps getting her start as a Volunteer in Liberia.  She has been Country Director in North Macedonia and Sri Lanka and held various headquarter positions responsible for opening Peace Corps China, Cambodia, and numerous countries in the Former Soviet Union.  As a retired diplomat, she currently teaches various courses to Department of State employees at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Anita Friedman. Anita currently serves as the Director of Arlington County’s Department of Human Services (DHS), where she oversees the delivery of services to approximately 50,000 Arlington residents striving to maintain a healthy, safe and economically secure life.

Featured Guest:
Anita has been with DHS for 15 years, also serving as Deputy Director and Economic Independence Division Director. In her role as DHS Director, she has been instrumental in major initiatives to reduce homelessness, expand behavioral health services, strengthen the social safety net, and center racial equity in the Department’s policies and practices.

Prior to her work in Arlington County, Anita worked for over 20 years in international development, managing social and economic development programs, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. She held senior programming and operations positions at the Peace Corps, Latin American Youth Center, Inter-American Foundation, and Partners of the Americas. Anita was awarded Arlington County’s Woman of Vision Award for her work on conducting the 100 Homes for 100 Homeless Arlingtonians Campaign. Anita has a Masters degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelors degree from Vassar College.

Podcast Host:
Maryann Minutillo has an extensive career in international development and public service. She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy and a co-founder of the Foreign Service Youth Foundation. She has served as a mentor for mid-level professionals at Peace Corps for WPCL since the program began. Prior to her work at Peace Corps, Maryann was Director of the Department of State’s Family Liaison Office. In this position she oversaw community, education and family support programs at the State Department and United States Embassies throughout the world.  She was Peace Corps Country Director in Bolivia, Acting Regional Director and Chief of Operations for the Inter-America and Pacific Region and Senior Advisor to six Directors of Peace Corps.  Throughout her life, Maryann has had a strong interest in cultural adaptation and the impact of international transition and crisis situations on families and particularly on women’s careers.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Kate Raftery. Women of Peace Corps Legacy's Emerging Leadership Award is named after Kate, to honor emerging women leaders under the age of 40 that have shown a dedication to improving the lives of women and girls.

Featured Guest:
Kate Raftery has dedicated her career to the elevation and empowerment of young professionals and development of direct ties between service and the addressing of critical social needs. As Peace Corps Country Director in four countries, deputy director and training staff in three others, and a member of headquarters senior leadership, she supported and challenged young professionals, both personally and professionally, during their service and launching of their careers. 

As National Director of the Americorps National Civilian Community Corps she directed a program which offers a unique service opportunity for thousands of 18–24-year-old youth maximizing the use of the skills which they brought to the program, developing many more, as well as enhancing their understanding of the power of service to address critical community issues. As Vice President for Learning and Citizenship for the International Youth Foundation she focused on providing life skills and youth empowerment training through formal and non-formal education programs with the hope to give voice to young people around the world. Her service journey began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay resulting in a life transforming experience for her and those she has served since. Her daughter Elizabeth has been the BEST companion possible in this life adventure.

Podcast Host:
Lee Lacy is a senior leader, management consultant, facilitator and coach whose career in international and national programs spans four decades. She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy. Lee has served in several senior positions for the Peace Corps. In these roles, she worked with Peace Corps Volunteers and staff making the transition to different cultural contexts. She serves as a job search counselor for the Foreign Service Institute’s Transition Center providing assistance to Foreign Service officers preparing for a second career or retirement. As a trainer and director of the Overseas Briefing Center, Lee conducted cross-cultural and re-entry training for foreign affairs employees and their families. She has lived and worked in Samoa, Nepal, Armenia, and Afghanistan.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Carol Bellamy. Carol was the former director of the Peace Corps from 1993-1995.  She has many accomplishments on behalf of women and girls empowerment.

Featured Guest
Carol Bellamy is a former government and nonprofit executive and politician. She was recently chair of the board of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), which is the first global funding effort to address violent extremist agendas with an emphasis on empowering women and youth. She was director of the Peace Corps, executive director of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and president and CEO of World Learning and the School for International Training. She also was the chair of children's rights advocacy organization ECPAT International, working to end the sexual exploitation of children. After three terms in the New York State Senate, she was the first woman to be elected to any citywide office in NYC as President of the New York City Council.

In addition, Carol has been Chair of the Board of Directors of the International
Baccalaureate, as well as Chair of the Global Partnership for Education. She has
worked in the private sector at Morgan Stanley and Cravath, Swaine & Moore. She is an emeritus member of the American University of Beirut Board of Trustees and is a
former Fellow of the Harvard Institute of Politics.

In recognition of her professional success, Carol made Forbes Magazine’s 100 Most
Powerful Women in the World. In addition, she has been awarded the Légion
d’Honneur by the Government of France, and the Order of the Rising Sun in Japan.

Podcast Host:
Kathleen Corey is past president of Women of Peace Corps Legacy.  She spent sixteen years with Peace Corps getting her start as a Volunteer in Liberia.  She has been Country Director in North Macedonia and Sri Lanka and held various headquarter positions responsible for opening Peace Corps China, Cambodia, and numerous countries in the Former Soviet Union.  As a retired diplomat, she currently teaches various courses to Department of State employees at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Carrie Hessler-Radelet. Carrie is the President & CEO of Global Communities, an international non-profit organization dedicated to bringing together local ingenuity and global insights to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures.

Featured Guest:
Prior to Global Communities, Carrie served as the President & CEO of Project Concern International (PCI), which merged into Global Communities on April 6, 2020. Prior to that, Carrie served as the Acting and then Confirmed Director of the Peace Corps (2012-2017) and Deputy Director (2012-2015), leading America’s iconic international volunteer service organization with programs in over 65 countries. At Peace Corps she and her team led historic reforms to modernize and strengthen the agency to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Before being appointed to the Peace Corps by President Obama, Carrie worked as the Vice President and Director of the Washington D.C. office of John Snow, Inc. (JSI), overseeing the management of public health programs in 85 countries around the world. Her decades of global health work also included serving as the lead consultant on the first Five-Year Global HIV/AIDS Strategy for the President George W. Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), working in international development in Indonesia on maternal and child health and HIV programming, founding the Special Olympics in The Gambia, and serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer with her husband in Western Samoa.

Carrie is passionate about empowering communities to discover their own sustainable, innovative solutions to ensuring positive health and wellbeing and reducing poverty. She holds a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Boston University.

Podcast Host:
Maryann Minutillo has an extensive career in international development and public service. She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy and a co-founder of the Foreign Service Youth Foundation. She has served as a mentor for mid-level professionals at Peace Corps for WPCL since the program began. Prior to her work at Peace Corps, Maryann was Director of the Department of State’s Family Liaison Office. In this position she oversaw community, education and family support programs at the State Department and United States Embassies throughout the world.  She was Peace Corps Country Director in Bolivia, Acting Regional Director and Chief of Operations for the Inter-America and Pacific Region and Senior Advisor to six Directors of Peace Corps.  Throughout her life, Maryann has had a strong interest in cultural adaptation and the impact of international transition and crisis situations on families and particularly on women’s careers.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Dr. Ronda Ansted. She is the creator of My Career Design Studio, an online coaching program designed to support under-resourced communities and individuals with career coaching best practices. She served with the Peace Corps in South Africa as a Community and HIV/AIDS Capacity Builder in 2007.

Featured Guest:
Dr. Ronda Ansted, through her experience and research on international development NGOs and social enterprises, is committed to using career coaching to transform lives, communities, and the world. For more than 20 years, with a primary focus on international development and social services, Ronda has worked with hundreds of people, helping them to translate their skills into rewarding work and meaningful lives.

Past clients have found their calling by working with US Government Agencies such as USAID, multilateral organizations like the World Bank, NGOs, non-profits, and other social impact organizations. Several clients have also started their own social enterprise, leveraging their unique talents, skills, and perspectives to make the world a better place. Her main focus is to help those who want to make a difference design a career path that leads to maximum impact as well as a balanced and healthy life.

Ronda holds a Doctorate of Management from University of Maryland University College, a Master of Social Work from University of Maryland, Baltimore, a Bachelor of Arts in World Studies from the School for International Training.

Podcast Host:
Lee Lacy is a senior leader, management consultant, facilitator and coach whose career in international and national programs spans four decades. She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy. Lee has served in several senior positions for the Peace Corps. In these roles, she worked with Peace Corps Volunteers and staff making the transition to different cultural contexts. She serves as a job search counselor for the Foreign Service Institute’s Transition Center providing assistance to Foreign Service officers preparing for a second career or retirement. As a trainer and director of the Overseas Briefing Center, Lee conducted cross-cultural and re-entry training for foreign affairs employees and their families. She has lived and worked in Samoa, Nepal, Armenia, and Afghanistan.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, is Women of Peace Corps Legacy’s “Extra-Ordinary Woman” in this extraordinary episode. She served with the Peace Corps in Oman, and won WPCL’s 2023 Deborah Harding Women of Achievement Award.

Featured Guest:
Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley has had a pathbreaking career in the Foreign Service and has created new opportunities and possibilities for women and minorities. Among her many accomplishments as a U.S. diplomat, she served as a political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, focusing on Israel-Palestine relations; became the first woman to lead a diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia where she promoted gender equality and coordinated the largest evacuation of American citizens from a war zone since WWII; and was the longest-serving U.S. ambassador to Malta.

Recently she served as the State Department's first chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility officer. There, her many contributions included helping women and minorities be considered for high-level positions and reducing the importance of the oral exam for entry into diplomatic service. She co-founded the Leadership Council for Women in National Security (LCWINS), championing accomplished women for senior leadership positions in national security and foreign policy. 

Currently she is the first female president of the Middle East Policy Council, which produces a highly regarded journal, hosts the Capitol Hill Conference Series for policy makers, and offers numerous educational opportunities for teachers, including an exchange programs for students from the U.S. and the Middle East.  

Podcast Host:
Kathleen Corey is past president of Women of Peace Corps Legacy.  She spent sixteen years with Peace Corps getting her start as a Volunteer in Liberia.  She has been Country Director in North Macedonia and Sri Lanka and held various headquarter positions responsible for opening Peace Corps China, Cambodia, and numerous countries in the Former Soviet Union.  As a retired diplomat, she currently teaches various courses to Department of State employees at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy interviews an “Extra-Ordinary Woman”, Kelly Cronen. She currently serves as a Counter-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) international development.

Featured Guest:
Kelly Cronen became a Peace Corps volunteer in Albania (2003-2005) where she worked with a local civil society support organization and with a shelter for trafficked women. Through this experience she had the opportunity to meet and learn from over 300 women who had been trafficked, which shaped her perspectives on how development programs could be adjusted to be more responsive to communities in which they work. 

Over the past two and a half decades, Kelly has spent approximately 11 years living in other countries, with long-term field experience in Slovakia, Albania, Afghanistan, and Uganda. She has led over 20 short-term technical assessments throughout Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. She speaks Albanian and Spanish and holds a B.A. in International Development and Economics from the University of Guelph, Canada.

Podcast Host:
Maryann Minutillo has an extensive career in international development and public service. She is a founding member of Women of Peace Corps Legacy and a co-founder of the Foreign Service Youth Foundation. She has served as a mentor for mid-level professionals at Peace Corps for WPCL since the program began. Prior to her work at Peace Corps, Maryann was Director of the Department of State’s Family Liaison Office. In this position she oversaw community, education and family support programs at the State Department and United States Embassies throughout the world.  She was Peace Corps Country Director in Bolivia, Acting Regional Director and Chief of Operations for the Inter-America and Pacific Region and Senior Advisor to six Directors of Peace Corps.  Throughout her life, Maryann has had a strong interest in cultural adaptation and the impact of international transition and crisis situations on families and particularly on women’s careers.

Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women and girls empowerment to create a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations.  WPCL seeks to partner with and highlight the work of those existing organizations and programs that are effectively addressing the issues of women and girls.