Carol Spahn of Silver Spring was sworn in as director of the Peace Corps.
Spahn was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in December 2022 and sworn in on Jan. 11. She had been acting director.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the 21st Director of the Peace Corps, an agency with a mission I believe in deeply,” said Spahn in a news release. “At this pivotal moment in history, we all have the responsibility to be intentional in both word and deed, to lead with the power of our example. The Peace Corps has a critical role to play, and I am incredibly inspired by the staff, Volunteers and community members around the world who have stepped up to meet this moment.”
In a tweet, U.S. Rep. Raskin called Spahn “a champion of human rights and equitable development.”
She has more than a quarter century of public and private experience and has worked in many countries on issues ranging from small business development to infectious disease prevention and women’s empowerment.
Spahn said that under her leadership, the Peace Corps will continue to return volunteers to service abroad. Volunteers were evacuated in 2020 due to the pandemic. She also plans to modernize and expand service opportunities and connect volunteers with young people to address a range of development goals from food security and disease prevention to gender equity and economic growth.
She most recently served as chief of operations in the Africa region covering Eastern and Southern Africa.
Spahn began her Peace Corps days as a volunteer from 1994 to 1996 in Romania, where she was a small business advisor.
She also was senior vice president of operations at Women for Women International.
We're excited to announce that Carol Spahn was sworn in as the 21st director of the Peace Corps today! As director, she is committed to expanding partnerships and the number of Volunteers, with a special emphasis on youth engagement. https://t.co/lw6jPewTku pic.twitter.com/kAO1Tj2HvV
— Peace Corps (@PeaceCorps) January 11, 2023
Delighted that my constituent Carol Spahn has been sworn in as @PeaceCorpsDir! Carol is a champion of human rights and equitable development, and her career advocating for women makes her an ideal leader of this agency.
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) January 12, 2023
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