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NPCA Leadership Transition Announcement (with Addendum)

For more than 40 years, the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) has united and supported a thriving Peace Corps community. Connecting thousands of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, over 180 affiliate groups, and countless partners, NPCA continues to grow and increase our collective impact at home and abroad. We remain committed to this purpose and to providing support, resources, and advocacy. We do this work together, because we are united in our belief that our differences are our strength—and by drawing on those differences, we can have real and lasting impact.

Today, we begin a new chapter at NPCA. The Board of Directors announces the departure of NPCA President and CEO, Glenn Blumhorst. We are grateful for Mr. Blumhorst’s years of leadership and dedication to the Peace Corps through service, advocacy, and support, and wish him well in his future endeavors. Kim Herman has been appointed as Interim President and CEO with full authority while an Executive search is conducted for NPCA’s next leader. Jed Meline, former Vice Chair of the Board, is serving as Interim Board Chair.

Prior to accepting this new role, Mr. Herman was the NPCA Board Chair. Mr. Herman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic doing rural community development from 1967 to 1969, after graduating from Washington State University. Building on his Peace Corps service, Mr. Herman has had a distinguished career focusing on affordable housing across the nation. He has over 35 years of legislative experience working with the Washington state legislature and Congress, and he has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and advocacy organizations. The NPCA Board is delighted he has agreed to continue to serve the Peace Corps community in this role.

We believe that with this transition in leadership, NPCA can further thrive within an inclusive community, and with a workplace culture, that draws strength from our differences, celebrates diversity, and finds connectedness in our shared values. Additionally, the NPCA Board is working on several initiatives to ensure a positive path forward for the organization. Further announcements will be shared shortly.

We appreciate your continued support through this transition. For questions, please contact [email protected].


ADDENDUM (December 11, 2022)

From NPCA Board Chair John Lee Evans (Elected Board Chair on September 6, 2022)

Statement on the dismissal of Glenn Blumhorst by the previous Board

  • The process by which Glenn’s separation by the previous Board was flawed and did not meet normal standards for such action.
  • Glenn was previously exonerated of allegations made against him by a thorough and independent investigation both by legal standards and the stricter NPCA policy standards.
  • The timing of the separation was close to the online campaign of defamatory statements against Glenn and two other staff members, and this had a negative effect on Glenn’s reputation.
  • The previous Board reached a mutually agreeable separation agreement that pointed to no wrongdoing by Glenn or the Board and includes a mutual non-disparagement agreement.
  • The previous Board’s actions were reckless, as there was no reasonable succession plan.
  • The current Board of Directors has an obligation to honor Glenn’s achievements during his tenure as CEO and his impact on the many successes of NPCA and the general Peace Corps community.
  • The current Board of Directors has taken steps to reform its practices to prevent something like the above events from happening again and is working to return NPCA to the positive trajectory, which it was on, prior to the dismissal of Glenn.

 

The previous Board apparently lost confidence in the ability of the Board and the CEO to continue working together and wanted to move in a new direction. However, that does not justify the process by which Glenn and NPCA separated. It must be made clear that the process by which Glenn and NPCA separated was not due to any illegal activity, violation of NPCA’s ethics standards or any inappropriate behavior that required disciplinary action. The current board wishes Glenn well in his continued service to the Peace Corps Community as the fundraiser for the Peace Corps Commemorative.