Jodi speaks with Baktash Ahadi (RPCV Mozambique), an award-winning documentary filmmaker, motivational speaker, trainer, and human rights activist. Baktash shares how his Peace Corps experience coupled with his cultural life experiences as a refugee has influenced his passion for storytelling. He speaks on how activism and awareness is his foci in his multiple documentaries. Featured Guest: Baktash Ahadi is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, speaker, facilitator, and human rights...

In this episode, Jodi speaks with Juana Bordas, RPCV Chile and recognized thought leader, award winning author, and activist  in the Latina  and multicultural communities. Juana speaks of her own cultural background and her lifetime commitment to bringing a focus to the interconnectedness between the areas of leadership, inclusion and social change. FEATURED GUEST: Juana Bordas is recongized expert in the field of leadership, inclusion, and social change. She served with one of the first...

In this episode, Jodi speaks with Mike Tidwell,  a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Zaire (now known as Democratic Republic of Congo) about his life changing journey into the environmental advocacy field.  Mike is  founder and director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to fighting for bold and just solutions to climate change in the Chesapeake region of Maryland, DC, and Virginia.   FEATURED...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 National Democratic Institute...

This Jobs with Jodi Podcast episode..... Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with  Andrew Shannon and Robbieana Leung.....   FEATURED GUESTS:  Andrew Shannon is a member of the Outreach team at Georgetown University for the U.S. Department of State English Language Programs. He has worked in the field of English language education for 15 years as a teacher, trainer, and coordinator. Andrew’s interests include Russian language and development in post-Soviet states. He was an English...

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...

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...

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...

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 THIS FEATURED GUESTS: George Sibley is the Diplomat-in-Residence Mid-Atlantic for the...

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...

This episode explores the growing field of coaching, and its impact on the Peace Corps field experience.  Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with two professional coaches who share their experience working as coaches within diverse sectors including  as staff with Peace Corps--both in Headquarters and in  the field--as well as with other federal agencies and the nonprofit arena.  They offer tips and advice based on their own experience, and speak to the variety of opportunities...

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...

In this episode, Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer welcomes RPCV George Economides to discuss the critical role mentoring plays in personal and professional development, including how to identify and secure a mentor. As a seasoned professional and staunch advocate of both being mentored and mentoring others, George speaks candidly from his own experience and that of the many RPCVs he has mentored along the way. FEATURED GUEST: George Economides is a forward-thinking, energetic leader...

CAREERS IN MULTIMEDIA & DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS PODCAST This 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...

In this episode, Jodi is joined by two representatives from the Peace Corps Oral History Project — including Evelyn Ganzglass (Coordinator of the project), and Violet Esipila (fellow Interviewer.)  Also featured is RPCV Olivia Donaldson, PhD, who shares how she tapped into the Oral History project for her multimedia exhibit called Departures: Peace Corps Pandemic Stories.  Guests discuss why your Peace Corps story is important and needs be recorded within the Oral History Project, how to...

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...

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...

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...

Our monthly Ask the Career Coach episode of Jobs with Jodi podcast focuses on providing answers to RPCVs' most burning career questions. In honor of February and Valentine's Day, our special guest — NPCA Career Consultant and fellow RPCV — Dr. Ronda Ansted answers questions about how to live a life you love, how to identify career pursuits that are in line with your personal and professional desires, and how to find jobs in those areas to help make your career dreams come true.  Ronda and...

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...