Once You’re In, You’re In

Peace Corps service isn’t just a chapter— it’s a through line. Now it’s time to put it to work at home.

Like many of you, I consider my moment in my life. I shifted from a postcollegiate career in banking and insurance to a life committed to service, beginning with my Peace Corps service in the Comoro Islands at age 27 and followed by 20 years working in development in sub-Saharan Africa. As a Volunteer, I was driven by curiosity and adventure. What I did not know at the time was that I had become part of something much larger than myself—a member of a unique community of individuals committed to national service in the name of peace.

Now, as I begin my work as the new president of the National Peace Corps Association, my life has truly come full circle. The year 2026 is a special one, marking three major milestones in American civic life. This year we celebrate not just the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 65th anniversary of Peace Corps, but the 45th anniversary of the National Peace Corps Association. Ever since the very first Volunteers returned home from service, RPCVs have contributed to countless causes at home and abroad. On the global stage, they have helped prevent the spread of deadly diseases through their work in international development agencies and nonprofit organizations; they have influenced foreign policy through diplomacy and security initiatives; and they have founded global enterprises both small and large. At home, they have staffed food banks, led civic associations, built houses, welcomed immigrants, and coached Little League. Through the quiet humility they learned as Peace Corps Volunteers, all have had positive impacts on many lives.

The world we live in today can feel chaotic, and our society fractured. In the midst of ongoing global conflicts, economic uncertainty, and rapid advances in artificial intelligence, it can be easy to lose sight of the human need for community, what is fact vs. fiction, and a sense of shared purpose. It is precisely at moments like these when the ideals and values imbued in us during Peace Corps service are needed most.

As I begin my tenure as president of NPCA, I am committed to rallying support for Peace Corps at a time when many institutions dedicated to peace and international development are either under threat or have been dismantled. At this moment, it is imperative that NPCA work diligently to pave the way for future Volunteers so that they can have the same life-changing experience each of us did, in a way that stays true to the agency’s values. We remain committed to this endeavor and will be engaging with RPCVs in the coming months about ways we can work together to ensure that the Volunteer pipeline can meet the needs and requests of host countries through recruitment efforts.

NPCA President Carla Brown visits Volunteers in the Dominican Republic in 2025.

Our dedicated staff is committed to strengthening our network by increasing NPCA’s support for both affiliate groups and individuals. We’ll do this by mobilizing our community around the issues we care about; raising awareness among the American public about the impact RPCVs have here at home; improving the leadership capacity of RPCV groups; and highlighting RPCV-led businesses and organizations.

We look forward to meeting this moment head-on. I ask that you join us in the work that lies ahead. It will require determination, humility, creativity, and a shared sense of purpose. We do not know where this journey will end, but it’s one we’ll undertake together.