Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Former Director of the Peace Corps

“Pursue passion in your life. It’s so important to find something that makes your heart sing.” http://media.blubrry.com/womenindiplomacy/content.blubrry.com/womenindiplomacy/Carrie_2.m4a Subscribe to the Women in Diplomacy podcast on iTunes   CARRIE HESSLER-RADELET served as the Director of the Peace Corps from 2012 until January of this year, and she is the new President & CEO of Project Concern International. Carrie is a recognized leader with decades of experience in global humanitarian affairs,” said Project Concern International Chair Dr. Robert S. Sullivan. “From leading the Peace Corps, to implementing maternal and child health programs in Asia with John Snow, Inc., to establishing Special Olympics programs in Africa, Carrie knows first-hand the difference that can be made when we partner with people and communities on the ground to find solutions combating global poverty.” On June 7-14, 2015, Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet returned to Samoa where she and her husband Steve served as Peace Corps Volunteers over 30 years prior. During the visit, the Director was reunited with her host mother Losa and her host sister Rosela. Director Hessler-Radelet spent several days during the trip visiting with Peace Corps Volunteers teaching in primary schools on the islands of Upolu and Savai’i. In addition, she signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Secretariat of Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP) in Apia, Samoa. With this Memorandum, Peace Corps Volunteers will work with SPREP in support of the organization and communities in broad areas related to improving adaptation and resilience to climate change impacts, including biodiversity and ecosystem management, waste management and pollution control, and, environmental monitoring and governance.   The time Carrie spent as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Samoa inspired her to focus on maternal and child health. Carrie and her husband Steve during their Peace Corps service in Samoa Carrie served as the Director of the Peace Corps from 2012 until January of this year, leading America’s iconic international volunteer service organization with programs in over 65 countries. She served as the Deputy Director of the Peace Corps beginning in 2010. Before being tapped for the Peace Corps by President Obama, Carrie worked as the Vice President and Director of the Washington DC office of John Snow, Inc. (JSI), overseeing the management of public health programs in 85 countries around the world. She was the lead consultant on the first Five Year Global HIV/AIDS Strategy for PEPFAR.  She worked with USAID in Indonesia on maternal and child health and HIV programming, founded the Special Olympics in the Gambia, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Samoa. Carrie holds a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University.   About PCI PCI’s mission is to empower people to enhance health, end hunger and overcome hardship. PCI envisions a world in which the most vulnerable people will have the power to lift themselves out of poverty and to create vital, healthy lives for their families and communities now and for the future. PCI works in 16 countries, including the United States. For more information, visit www.pciglobal.org. Carrie was selected as the new President & CEO of Project Concern International (PCI) by its Board of Directors on February 3. Hessler-Radelet will lead PCI’s efforts working with families and communities in 16 countries to enhance health, end hunger, and overcome hardship.