Peace Corps to Politics

How RPCVs Are Taking Service to the Ballot Box

When President John F. Kennedy challenged Americans to serve communities around the world, he envisioned more than just two years of Volunteer service. He believed Peace Corps would shape generations of leaders committed to building stronger communities, both abroad and at home.

Today, that vision continues to unfold as a growing number of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) step into public office, carrying the lessons they learned overseas into city halls, state legislatures, school boards, and beyond. For many, running for office is not a career change; instead, it is the next chapter in a lifelong commitment to service.

The same values that guide Volunteers overseas – listening before leading, working alongside communities, and finding solutions through partnership – often become the foundation for a lifetime of civic engagement. For a growing number of RPCVs, that next chapter leads to public office.

This fall, voters across the United States will once again see RPCVs on the ballot, bringing with them a leadership style rooted in humility, collaboration, and listening before leading.

That philosophy is at the heart of a new partnership between the National Peace Corps Association and New Politics Academy (NPA), an organization dedicated to recruiting and preparing servant leaders to run for elected office. Together, they wish to strengthen the pipeline from Peace Corps service to public leadership by encouraging more RPCVs to view elected office as another pathway for making a difference.

“We’re thrilled to partner with New Politics Academy. Having served in the Peace Corps, returned Volunteers have demonstrated their commitment to service, as well as the persistence required to serve constituents and communities around the U.S,” said Carla Brown, president of the National Peace Corps Association “NPA has already proven that they can help RPCVs understand how to enter public service, as well as give them the tools to support success. NPCA looks forward to working with NPA to support RPCVs continuing service to their communities through representation.”

Emily Cherniack, founder of New Politics Academy, believes Returned Peace Corps Volunteers are uniquely equipped for today’s political landscape because they have already demonstrated what public service looks like in practice. They know how to navigate unfamiliar environments, build relationships across differences, and place community needs ahead of personal ambition. “We’re looking for people who have already proven they can serve something bigger than themselves,” Cherniack said. “Through training, mentorship, and campaign support, New Politics Academy helps transform those qualities into effective public leadership.”

NPCA board member Kristina Owens embodies that journey. After serving in Bolivia from 2000 to 2002, she remained deeply involved with the Peace Corps community through advocacy before helping to establish the Peace Corps to Politics network, encouraging fellow RPCVs to continue serving through elected office. Today, she serves on the Henrietta Town Council in New York, where the same principles she learned as a volunteer helped her win election to the council, and continue to guide her work.

Owens says Peace Corps taught her that leadership begins with listening. “You have to start by understanding what people actually need, not what you think they need.” Before running for office, she immersed herself in her community by volunteering, attending meetings, and understanding residents’ concerns. As a councilmember, much of her work involves listening to constituents, connecting them with the right resources, and ensuring every voice is heard. Those everyday conversations, she says, are often where meaningful policy begins.

Her story reflects a broader truth about the Peace Corps experience. The skills Volunteers develop overseas-earning trust, adapting to challenges, solving problems with limited resources, and collaborating across cultures-are the same qualities communities seek in effective public servants. Whether serving on local commissions, school boards, city councils, or in Congress, RPCVs bring a perspective shaped by service rather than ideology.

Across the country, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers are stepping forward to serve in public office in ways that reflect their diverse experiences and the issues many RPCVs hold dear, from climate change to immigration.

In Maine, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows recently brought her Peace Corps perspective to a gubernatorial campaign, while in California, San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert is advancing to the general election in her bid for Congress. In New York, State Senator Samra Brouk is preparing for re-election this fall, while in Georgia, Saira Draper and Phil Olaleye are pursuing new terms for the Georgia House of Representatives. Looking ahead, Virginia House Delegate JJ Singh is also preparing for re-election in 2027. Across New England, New Hampshire State Senator Rebecca Kwoka is seeking another term. And on the West Coast, leaders like Vallejo Mayor Andrea Sorce are shaping local communities through city leadership, and the new mayor of Miami, Eileen Higgins, was a Peace Corps country director in Belize.

For Vallejo’s Mayor Sorce, public office is simply another expression of the values that first led her to the Peace Corps. After serving in Honduras and El Salvador, where she partnered with a local municipality to establish a municipal microfinance cooperative, Sorce returned home with the same belief that had inspired her service abroad: that strong communities are built through connection, trust, and collaboration.

Those lessons continue to shape her leadership today. Sorce became involved in local politics while working alongside families whose loved ones had been killed by Vallejo police, advocating for accountability and rebuilding public trust. As mayor of one of the nation’s most diverse cities, she says the answers to complex challenges rarely come from politicians alone – they come from listening. Whether engaging residents from different cultural backgrounds or navigating difficult policy debates, she believes meaningful change depends on bringing communities into the conversation. Peace Corps, she says, taught her humility, patience, flexibility, and how to stay grounded when unexpected situations arise – qualities that have proven just as valuable in public office as they were overseas.

Sorce became involved in local politics while working alongside families whose loved ones had been killed by Vallejo police, advocating for accountability and rebuilding public trust.

As communities face complex challenges, the need for leaders who understand the value of partnership, empathy, and practical problem solving has never been greater. The experiences of Sorce, Owens, and countless other RPCVs, along with the growing movement of RPCVs entering public office, demonstrate that the Peace Corps legacy extends far beyond international service. It carries on in council chambers, legislative halls, and community meetings across America, where former Volunteers are helping shape policies that strengthen communities and improve lives.

For many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, coming home is not the end of their journey of service – but the start of what comes next and another example of the domestic dividend Peace Corps Volunteers bring home to America.