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The United States Government Manual
Peace Corps
1111 Twentieth Street NW., Washington, DC 20526
855-855-1961
202-692-2000
202-692-2231
http://www.peacecorps.gov
| DIRECTOR | Josephine K. Olsen |
| Deputy Director | (vacancy) |
| Chief of Staff | Michelle K. Brooks |
| CHIEF OFFICERS | |
| Financial | Richard Swarttz |
| Information | Scott Knell |
| DIRECTOR | |
| Civil Rights and Diversity | John W. Burden |
| Victim Advocacy | Da Shawna Townsend |
| General Counsel | Robert Shanks |
| White House Liaison | Matthew McKinney |
| ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS | |
| Global Operations | Patrick Young |
| Health Services | Karen Becker |
| Safety and Security | Shawn Bardwell |
| Volunteer Recruitment and Selection | David Walker |
| DIRECTORS | |
| Global Health and HIV | Marie McLeod |
| Overseas Programming and Training Support | Stephanie Rust |
| Peace Corps Response | Kweku Boafo |
| Strategic Information, Research, and Planning | Jeffrey Kwiecinski, Acting |
| REGIONAL DIRECTORS | |
| Africa | Johnathan Miller |
| Europe, Mediterranean and Asia | Jeannette Windon |
| Inter-America and the Pacific | Gregory Huger |
| ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS | |
| External Affairs | Rachel Kahler |
| Management | Jeffrey Harrington |
| Chief Compliance Officer | Anne Hughes |
| DIRECTORS | |
| Communications | Matthew Sheehey |
| Congressional Relations | Nancy Herbolsheimer |
| Grants and Gifts Management | Karen Roberts |
| Strategic Partnerships and Intergovernmental Affairs | Shannon Kendrick |
| Third Goal and Returned Volunteer Services | Keith Honda |
| Executive Secretary | Sylvie Mortimer, Acting |
| Inspector General | Kathy A. Buller |
The above list of key personnel was updated 8–2019.
The Peace Corps gives the peoples of host countries increased access to volunteers who are qualified, skilled, and trained, and it strengthens mutual understanding between Americans and the peoples of the countries served.
ESTABLISHMENT AND ORGANIZATION
President John F. Kennedy approved the Peace Corps Act on September 22, 1961. This Public Law became effective on that same day. Its declaration of purpose states: "It is the policy of the United States and the purpose of this Act to promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower, and to help promote a better understanding of the American people on the part of the peoples served and a better understanding of other peoples on the part of the American people."
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-75/pdf/STATUTE-75-Pg612.pdfThe Peace Corps Act has been amended since its enactment (22 U.S.C. 2501). Title VI of the International Security and Development Cooperation Act of 1981 (22 U.S.C. 2501–1) made the Peace Corps an independent agency.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2017-title22/pdf/USCODE-2017-title22-chap34.pdfThe President appoints the Director and Deputy Director of the agency by the advice and with the consent of the Senate.
ACTIVITIES
The Peace Corps consists of a Washington, DC, headquarters, six regional offices, and overseas operations in 62 countries, relying on more than 7,350 volunteers and trainees.
To fulfill the Peace Corps mandate, men and women are trained for a 9- to 14-week period in the appropriate local language, the technical skills necessary for their particular jobs, and the cross-cultural skills needed to adjust to a society with traditions and attitudes different from their own. Volunteers serve for a period of 2 years, living among the people with whom they work. Volunteers are expected to become a part of the community through their service.
Thousands of volunteers serve worldwide and work in six program areas: agriculture, business development, education, environment, health and HIV/AIDS, and youth development. Community-level projects are designed to match the skills of volunteers with the resources of host-country agencies and other international assistance organizations to solve specific development problems, often in conjunction with private volunteer organizations.
In the United States, the Peace Corps is working to promote an understanding of people in other countries. Through its World Wise Schools program, volunteers partner with elementary and junior high school students in the United States to encourage an exchange of letters, pictures, music, and artifacts. Participating students increase their knowledge of geography, languages, and different cultures, while gaining an appreciation for voluntarism.
The Peace Corps offers other domestic programs that rely on former volunteers. Working together with universities, local public school systems, and private businesses and foundations, these former volunteers help solve some of our Nation's most pressing domestic problems.
http://www.peacecorps.gov/aboutSources of Information
Age Limit
The Peace Corps does not have an upper age limit, and spouses and partners can serve together. To learn more, visit the "Volunteering at 50–Plus" web page.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/is-peace-corps-right-for-me/50plusBecoming a Volunteer
The volunteer program has an online application portal.
http://www.peacecorps.gov/applyCareer Opportunities
Peace Corps vacancy announcements are posted online. Additional information is available from the Office of Human Resource Management. Phone, 202-692-1200.
http://www.peacecorps.gov/about/jobsThe Peace Corps consistently ranks high among midsize agencies in the Partnership for Public Service's Best Places To Work Agency Rankings. In 2018, it ranked 6th among 27 midsize agencies.
http://bestplacestowork.org/rankings/detail/PU00Climate Change / Sustainability
The 2016 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan identifies greenhouse gas reduction as one of its principal goals and includes an appendix on climate change resilience.
https://files.peacecorps.gov/documents/open-government/2016_Strategic_Sustainability_Performance_Plan.pdfContact Information
The "Contact Us" web page has key phone numbers and email addresses for contacting the Peace Corps.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/contact/#email_form | Email: dcinfo@peacecorps.govCountries
Peace Corps volunteers serve in more than 60 countries.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/countriesDonate
The "Donate" web page lists and describes projects that donors can support.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/donateEducator Resources
The Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools program provides online educational resources based on the Peace Corps experience.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/educators/resources/?search_text=climate&list=educators-resourcesEvents
The "Events" web page has a search tool for locating a nearby event by ZIP Code.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/eventsFacts
Curious to know how many Americans have been in the Peace Corps? On which continent most volunteers serve? To learn the answers to these questions and others, visit the "Fast Facts" web page.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/fast-factsFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The FOIA (5 USC 552) gives the public right to request records from a Federal agency. An agency must disclose the requested record as long as one of the law's nine exemptions does not shield the information from public disclosure.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2017-title5/pdf/USCODE-2017-title5-partI-chap5-subchapII.pdfThe Peace Corps posts certain types of records that it creates on its website. A formal FOIA request is not necessary to access them. The Peace Corps also maintains a FOIA requester service center that can provide information on the status of a person's FOIA request.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/about/open-government/foiaFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Peace Corps posts answers to FAQs on its website.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/faqs/allGlobal Initiatives
These programs promote AIDS relief, work to eliminate malaria, help local people assure their own food security, economically empower women, and support development projects in local communities.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/about/global-initiativesHistory
At 2 a.m., before a crowd of 10,000 students, then Senator and Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy launched a new experiment in public service from the steps of the Michigan Union at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. To learn more about what happened early that morning of October 14, 1960, visit "The Founding Moment" web page.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/about/history/founding-momentNews
The Office of Press Relations posts news—agency statements, media advisories, and press releases—on the Peace Corps website.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/news | Email: pressoffice@peacecorps.govOpen Government
The Peace Corps supports the Open Government initiative by promoting the principles of collaboration, participation, and transparency.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/about/open-governmentOversight
The Office of the Inspector General from the Peace Corps posts reports and data on Oversight.gov, a text-searchable repository of reports that Federal Inspectors General publish. The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency operates and maintains the website to increase public access to independent and authoritative information on the Federal Government.
https://oversight.gov/reportsRecruitment Offices
Contact information for Peace Corps recruitment offices is available online.
http://www.peacecorps.gov/recruiters/officesSocial Media
The Peace Corps tweets announcements and other newsworthy items on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/peacecorpsThe Peace Corps has a Facebook account.
https://www.facebook.com/peacecorpsThe Peace Corps posts videos on its YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/peacecorpsStories
Peace Corps volunteers have stories to tell. Read and listen to them on the Peace Corps' website.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/storiesThe Sources of Information were updated 8–2019.