Staff

Bolivia (1999-2002), Timor Leste (2002-2003), Peace Corps HQ (2003-2006, 2010-2011, 2014-2017), Costa Rica Staff (2007-2010), Ethiopia Staff (2011-2014) 

Dan Baker has more than 20 years of professional experience in both the private and public sectors. Prior to joining the NPCA staff, Dan was a project director and senior technical advisor for youth development at IREX, an international nonprofit working out of Washington, D.C. At IREX, Dan led a USAID-funded project working with political leadership in Guatemala and consults with various other projects and practices to improve the organization's approach to working with youth around the world, and to ensure their inclusion in programming and policies that affect their lives. Dan began his work at IREX in 2017 following 17 years with Peace Corps. 

Beginning in 1999 in Bolivia, Dan worked as a water sanitation worker and volunteer coordinator. After three years in Bolivia, Dan answered a call for continued volunteer service in Timor Leste, where he was a member of the first group of volunteers to arrive in the new country. After four years as a volunteer, Dan continued on to a 13-year career at Peace Corps in various staff and consultant roles, both in the field and in the Washington, D.C. headquarters office. His first field position was in Costa Rica where he was the Associate Director for a youth development and child protection project. He also notably worked in Ethiopia as the first Director of Programming and Training in that country, and where he oversaw a rapid expansion of the program, including significant work with USAID Feed the Future and PEPFAR programming. Following his tenure in Ethiopia, he served as the Chief of Programming and Training for the Africa Region in Washington, D.C., where he oversaw implementation of region-wide initiatives such as Let Girls Learn, Read for Life, and great advances in the agency's diversity and inclusions efforts. Dan served with distinction during his time as Peace Corps staff, twice receiving the Director's Distinguished Service Award, among other honors, and being selected to the agency's leadership development academy. 

Dan is a graduate of Davidson College in North Carolina, where he studied history and Spanish. He and his wife Chris (RPCV Jamaica) currently live in Silver Spring, Maryland with their daughters and enjoy frequently visiting their southern roots in North Carolina and Georgia. 

Julie Bilderback comes on board as Staff Accountant, supporting the director of finance and administration in many facets of reporting, budgeting, and compliance. She brings to the team 20 years of experience in public accounting within governmental and private industries, and she is a licensed CPA in South Carolina. Julie earned a bachelor’s in business administration with a marketing concentration from the University of Colorado, followed by an accounting concentration from the University of Oregon. Born and raised in Baltimore, she lives in the Myrtle Beach area and is a die hard Ravens football fan, who loves all things college football and NFL. She also enjoys gardening, songwriting, and visiting family in Baltimore County.

Andrea Dickerson joined NPCA as director of finance and administration in November 2021. She worked at Peace Corps headquarters for nine years, including positions in financial management, budget, and six years as chief administrative officer for the CIO’s office. She finished out her time there as senior advisor to the CIO, then left to accept the position of director of finance and operations for Refugees International, a DC-based nonprofit that advocates for lifesaving assistance, human rights, and protection for displaced people. Prior to Peace Corps, she worked in the non-profit arts sector for more than ten years. In 2000, she helped to found the American Dance Institute in Rockville, Maryland, and served as their director of operations. From there, she went to Dance/USA, a service organization for dance organizations across the United States before serving as director of artistic operations at The Washington Ballet, where she was a professional ballet dancer in an earlier life. She attended the University of Maryland, where she earned a B.S. with honors in mathematics.

Marieme Foote joined National Peace Corps Association in August 2020 and serves as the Advocacy and Administrative Associate as well as Community Outreach Specialist, helping to launch an outreach campaign as well as working on advocacy-related issues. She is a COVID19 evacuated Volunteer who served in Peace Corps Benin beginning September 2018, until the global evacuation in March 2020. In Benin she served as a sustainable agricultural systems agent and worked alongside men and women’s groups to address issues concerning food security and agriculture.

After returning from the Peace Corps she became heavily involved in advocacy work on behalf of evacuated Volunteers, and worked with Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS), a nonprofit organization, to gather data and create a report to advocate for better support for evacuated Volunteers. She studied at Ithaca College and earned a B.A in political science with a minor in environmental studies.

Lauren Griffis is an experienced financial operations assistant, CRM organizer, and day to day office operations manager. Driven by her heart for equality and a mission for human rights, she takes pride in providing the best assistance to NPCA. Lauren joined NPCA in March 2022 as our Administrative Operations Assistant. She brings with her experience in mission work both domestically and internationally with outside organizations. After completing an AA in Psychology at Waldorf University, Lauren is continuing her studies at WU for a BA in Psychology/Criminal Justice. A native to the Northern Virginia area, Lauren enjoys the art of dance, a great cup of coffee, and her gorgeous golden retriever named Paddington The Bear.

Jodi Hammer (RPCV Ecuador 1994-97) is a career counseling professional and consultant with 25 years of experience serving the federal, corporate, and non-profit sectors, including 16 years of specialized experience in career and life coaching, training and development. From 2007-2019, she managed the RPCV Career Center in Peace Corps Headquarters where she counseled thousands of returning Volunteers. 

Jodi has a Master’s in International Adult Education and is a Certified Federal Job Search Trainer and Federal Career Coach.

Tiffany James, a Baltimore native, joins NPCA as the new Associate Editor, Global Stories. She has worked within the nonprofit sector for roughly eight years. During that time, she founded a content marketing agency committed to helping nonprofits and social entrepreneurs amplify the stories behind their missions. She brings to the team experience in marketing and event planning as well as a commitment to service after three years serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer for nonprofits in the affordable housing and education sectors. Tiffany earned a B.S. in architecture from the University of Virginia and a M.A. in writing from Johns Hopkins.

Orrin Luc joined the National Peace Corps Association in March 2021. As the Digital Content Manager, he designs and delivers digital messaging across all platforms, managing the creation of video, website, digital magazine, and newsletter content. He enjoys producing and editing short documentaries that showcase the NPCA’s Community Fund, advocacy efforts, and Global Reentry program. Orrin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador 2014–16 and again as Peace Corps Response in Mexico 2017–18. He currently lives in Chicago, and he is happy to report that he has met and interviewed Jeff Goldblum in person.

Molly O’Brien comes to NPCA after completing her M.A. in Public Service/Nonprofit Administration at Marquette University in 2020. She was the recipient of the Trinity Fellowship, a competitive program focused on social and economic justice, and she worked at Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity providing programmatic support for homeowners. Molly was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Trang, Thailand 2016–18 and in Karak, Jordan 2014–15. Since her return from the Peace Corps, she has been active in the RPCV community, previously serving on the board of the Milwaukee Peace Corps Association as their membership coordinator. Prior to Peace Corps she earned a B.A. in history and communications from Loyola University Chicago. She resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible.

Jonathan Pearson works with NPCA members and other supporters to advance policies to expand, improve and embolden the Peace Corps, and promote opportunities for international service (including the Service World initiative). He also engages with advocates on other key global issues that impact the lives of people and communities in countries where Peace Corps volunteers served.

Jonathan coordinates the annual National Day of Action in Support of the Peace Corps each March, when RPCVs go to Capitol Hill to speak directly with policy-makers as others who can’t come to Washington phone and email their lawmakers. He regularly writes blogs and updates throughout the year to keep the Peace Corps Community informed about advocacy opportunities.

Prior to NPCA, Jonathan worked voluntarily and contractually to assist with the formation of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Following his Peace Corps service, he worked 5 years as Program Coordinator for Maryland Save Our Streams in Glen Burnie, MD, leading a number of watershed-based community organizing projects. A long-time member of Amnesty International, he joined the staff of AIUSA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Office in 1997. He served in several positions, including Regional Deputy Director and Director.

Jonathan served in the Peace Corps on Lamotrek Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia as a teacher and community development worker. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, he worked for seven years as a reporter, newscaster, News Director and talk show host for WINY Radio in Putnam.

A native of Connecticut, Jonathan graduated cum laude from Boston College, majoring in communications and political science.

Arianna joined National Peace Corps Association in January 2020. As the Community Engagement Coordinator, Arianna works to further NPCA's goal of building increased capacity of affiliate groups, and to develop strategies for increased outreach and engagement of the Peace Corps community. Arianna also supports NPCA's advocacy program, coordinating events with multiple partners across the country to advocate for a better Peace Corps. 

Before joining NPCA, Arianna served as a Community Health volunteer with the Peace Corps in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). While abroad, Arianna mobilized a committee of women in Ekuphumleni to develop income generating projects to fund a neighborhood care point to benefit vulnerable children in the community. Additionally, Arianna founded exercise groups, facilitated gardening trainings, and implemented sanitation demonstrations to reduce the negative impacts of HIV/AIDS in her community. In 2015, Arianna received a B.S. in Human Development and Family Sciences from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Following the successful completion of her Peace Corps service, she went on to earn her M.S. in International Human Development also from Oklahoma State University in 2019.

Joel Rubin is an expert in foreign policy, Congressional affairs, and the media with deep experience in domestic politics. Joel served in the Obama-Biden Administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs, handling the House of Representatives, and has served for more than two decades in a variety of senior foreign policy positions in government, in Congress, and in the nonprofit sector. Joel is a frequent presence in the national media as a commentator on both foreign and domestic issues, and he began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica in Environmental Education (1994 - 96). Joel also previously served on the Board of Directors of both National Peace Corps Association and the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington, D.C. (RPCV/W).

In government, Joel has worked to advance bipartisan solutions on behalf of American foreign policy. He served in the U.S. Senate as a foreign policy advisor, winning the bipartisan Congressional Staffer of the Year award from the Military Officers Association of America. He earlier served as a career State Department officer in the Bush Administration in Political-Military Affairs and Near Eastern Affairs, earning the State Department’s Superior Honor Award. He began his career as a Presidential Management Fellow in the Clinton Administration at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

In the non-profit arena, Joel is an experienced foreign policy expert and peace advocate. He served as J Street’s founding Political and Government Affairs Director, where he worked to advance Middle East peace by creating political support for it. He also was the Policy Director of Ploughshares Fund, where he led advocacy campaigns in support of nuclear diplomacy with Iran as well as broader nuclear arms control policy. In addition, he recently was the Executive Director of the American Jewish Congress, focusing on countering antisemitism and domestic extremism.

In the media, Joel appears frequently both in print and on television on both national security and domestic political topics. He has appeared on television more than 1,000 times over the past decade, including several hundred times on MSNBC, CNN and FOX, as well as on international outlets. He has also frequently written opinion pieces on foreign policy topics for outlets such as Foreign Policy, The Hill, Newsweek, Axios, The Daily Beast, and The Forward.

In domestic politics, Joel has been elected three times to serve as a Council Member in the Town of Chevy Chase, MD. Joel also ran for Congress in the 2016 Democratic primary for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, which at the time was the most expensive Congressional primary race in the history of the United States. In addition, Joel was a Middle East Foreign Policy Volunteer for the Biden-Harris Presidential Campaign and earlier served as the Jewish Outreach Director for the Bernie Sanders 2020 Presidential Campaign.

Joel is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and attended Brandeis University for his Bachelors degree and Carnegie Mellon University for his Masters degree. He currently lives in Chevy Chase, MD with his wife, three daughters, mother-in-law, and rescue dog Maddy.