UMBrella Speaker Series: A Conversation with Jody K. Olsen, PhD, MSW ‘72
.png)
October 31, 2024
The UMBrella Group and CGE hosted “A Conversation with Jody K. Olsen, PhD, MSW ‘72," an intimate exchange of perspectives on career, life, and leadership that span the globe. President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, lead the intimate conversation with Olsen, PhD, MSW '72, the former Peace Corps director and one-time Center for Global Engagement director, about her career, life, and leadership that span the globe as well as her new book, "A Million Miles: My Peace Corps Journey."
Read The Elm article about the event.
About the Speaker
.png)
Dr. Josephine (Jody) Olsen, PhD, MSW served as the 20th Director of the Peace Corps from March 2018 to January 2021. With the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Olsen made the unprecedented decision to evacuate all 7,000 Peace Corps Volunteers and brought them back safely to the United States within nine days. Dr. Olsen then led the comprehensive re-entry plan for volunteers to return to service. She also championed global women's economic empowerment, global health, and established Peace Corps in four new countries.
Dr. Olsen began her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer, serving in Tunisia from 1966-1968. She also served the agency as Acting Director (2009), Deputy Director (2002-2009), Chief of Staff (1989-1992), Regional Director (1981-1984), and Country Director (1979-1981).
Before to returning to the Peace Corps in 2018, Dr. Olsen was a Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Director of the University’s Center for Global Education. She helped develop and direct inter-professional global health projects for health graduate students and taught international social work, global social policy, and global health.