Jody Olsen: Hope, Purpose, and Service in Times of Change

Jody Olsen, author of A Million Miles: My Peace Corp Journey will be speaking at the Hinckley Institute Forum on Hope, Purpose, and Service in Times of Change.

• Dr. Josephine (Jody) Olsen, PhD, served as the 20th Director of the Peace Corps between March, 2018 – 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 bring them safely back to the United States. Dr. Olsen then led the development of a comprehensive re-entry plan for Volunteers to return to service and expanded what it means to serve, launching the Virtual Service Pilot Program. She also championed global women’s economic empowerment, opened a new country, Viet Nam, and re-opened three countries in which Peace Corps had previously served.Dr. Olsen began her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer, serving in Tunisia from 196601968. She has 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).

  Prior to returning to the Peace Corps in 2018, Dr. Olsen was Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Social Work and Director of the University’s Center for Global Education. In this capacity she developed and directed inter-professional global health projects for health graduate students, oversaw health research projects in Malawi, and taught international social work, global social policy, and global health.

  Dr. Olsen received a BS from the University of Utah, and a Master’s in Social Work and a PhD in Human Development from the University of Maryland.

  Throughout her career, Dr. Olsen has championed the expansion of service, learning and international opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds.

Cosponsored by: 

• The University of Utah Press
• The Tanner Center for Human Rights
• The Office of Global Engagement