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National Peace Corps Association > News > Community News > Cote d’Ivoire, Eastern Caribbean, Gambia, Jamaica, Korea, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Uganda, Ukbekistan
Cote d’Ivoire, Eastern Caribbean, Gambia, Jamaica, Korea, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Uganda, Ukbekistan
By JoAnna Haugen on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
COTE D’IVOIRE
Fourteen years ago, Jan Schilling (62-64) decided to dedicate her savings to a scholarship program that awards $5,000 a year, renewable for four years, to a low-income, black, female student at Kennedy High in El Cerrito, California. Her ongoing gift has allowed many young women to attend college at universities around the country where they have pursued a variety of careers. Schilling is currently the executive director at Weigh of Life, a nonprofit that helps families improve their lives through better eating habits, regular physical activity and social support.
EASTERN CARIBBEAN
Amy Dreves (84-87) is a research and extension entomologist at Oregon State University, where she is an integrated pest management specialist working with many crops including hops, grapes, berries, stone fruits, grasses grown for seed and vegetables. Her interest in entomology has taken her to Mali, Nepal, Alaska, South America and Morocco with government agencies and private companies. Dreves has master’s and doctorate degrees from Oregon State University.
GAMBIA
Robert Leoni (02-03) is an investment advisor at OnPath LLC, where he focuses on socially responsible investing as it relates to issues such as the environment, human rights, weapons production, gambling and corporate responsibility. Leoni has worked in the financial field for five years. After his Peace Corps service he held a leadership role with Church World Service / CROP Walk.
JAMAICA
Now nearing retirement, David Adams (66-68) is looking forward to spending more time and energy on fish pond projects. Over the past eight years, Adams has helped finance almost 20 ponds around the world. In order to finance more ponds, he is loaning money for community growth through Kiva.
KOREA
After serving as MetLife Korea’s CEO for nearly a decade, Stu Solomon (71-73), now MetLife Korea’s chairman, will be able to devote more time to his role as chairman of the MetLife Korea Foundation. Solomon has served as chairman of the Foundation since its inception in 2005. In this position, Solomon has the opportunity to lead many projects that help underprivileged members of society. He has a particular interest in supporting projects for children with disabilities. In addition to providing financial support, the Foundation evaluates its recipient organizations, holds workshops for social workers and offers expert feedback through advising professors. More recently, it has been focusing on the elderly and the many issues facing this growing segment of Korean society. Solomon received his degree from Syracuse University.
LESOTHO
Catherine Zandonella (90-92) recently wrote Green Guide Families: The Complete Reference for Eco-Friendly Parents, which serves as a go-to reference for parents who want to make eco-friendly and healthy choices for their families. Zandonella is a science journalist and has published numerous articles in New Scientist, Nature and other publications. She has also been the science editor of National Geographic Green Guide since 2002 and is a member of the National Association of Science Writers, the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Author’s Guild. Zandonella received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
SIERRA LEONE; WASHINGTON, DC
Billie Ann Day (Sierra Leone 61-63, 64-66, Washington, D.C. 66-68) is being inducted into the Southwestern College Leaders in Service Hall of Fame for the social sciences. She taught with the Urban Teacher Corps and inaugurated the global perspectives course at Banneker High School. Day also served as an international election observer in Bosnia and Sierra Leone and volunteered with as a Crisis Corps Volunteer in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. She has been president of social studies associations, Peace Corps alumni groups and the World Hunger Education Service; Day is currently the president of the District of Columbia League of Women Voters. Day has also served on the boards of the National Council for the Social Studies and the National Peace Corps Association. She has earned the Daniel Roselle Lecture Award and Fulbright Scholarships to the Netherlands and Brazil.
SWAZILAND; WASHINGTON, DC
Fred O’Regan (Swaziland 69-72, DC 94-97) is the president and CEO of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) where he oversees more than 200 employees. Prior to joining IFAW, O’Regan was the Peace Corps regional director for Europe, Central Asia and the Mediterranean.
UGANDA
Kathryn Quinones (66-68), who splits her time between Brookings, South Dakota, and New York City is currently in the production of And Then There Were None at the Brookings Community Theatre. She earned her bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University and a master’s degree from the University of South Dakota.
UZBEKISTAN
Bob Lee and Ann Walker (04-05) met in the Peace Corps and have been involved in volunteer work ever since. They work with the American Red Cross, where they’ve done a variety of jobs including working in shelters and conducting disaster assessments. They also teach disaster classes, and every ten weeks they are on call as part of the local Red Cross Disaster Action Team, which assists people after fires. Lee and Walker have also spent time volunteering in Tanzania and Cameroon. Lee is a volunteer at Carriage Town Ministries and for the Genesse County Literacy Council as well. He is currently preparing for a seven-week volunteer trip to Haiti.
