Deputy Director of Peace Corps

Greets OST Participants

October 15, 2012
What: Fall 2012 OST Welcome Reception
Where: Embassy Suites- 1250 22nd Street NW
When: Monday, October 15, 2012; 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Background:
Sonia Stines Derenoncourt will open by introducing herself and welcoming everyone to the
opening reception of the Fall OST. She will then introduce Stacy Rhodes, Chief of Staff, who
will make a few remarks to help welcome the OST participants and recognize who they are and
where they come from.
Remarks for Stacy:

Stacyyour own remarks about how happy you are to see everyone and what an exciting
event this always is for PC.

Attendees at this event include US Direct Hire employees who may be heading to post
for the first time along with Host Country National staff who may be been at post for
several years. We are also happy to acknowledge directors and staff from various units in
our Washington office as well as the OST facilitators and support staff.

We have a fairly large group this time with 53 OST participants who are serving in 39
Peace Corps posts.

Please give special recognition to the 32 host country nationals who are here from:
Africa: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar,
Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia
EMA: Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Philippines, Ukraine
IAP: Ecuador, Micronesia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru

We are always happy when we can host our overseas staff and are thrilled to have so
many in this group.

Ask if there are any family members present. If so, thank them for their supporting role
overseas.

When you are finished with your remarks, please introduce Acting Director Carrie HesslerRadelet.

Peace Corps Acting Director Greets OST Participants

Schedule for Remarks
October 15, 2012
What: Fall 2012 OST Welcome Reception
Where: Embassy Suites- 1250 22nd Street NW
When: Monday, October 15, 2012, 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
The start of the event will depend on Acting Directors schedule and availability which we
should know on Monday. We will designate a time for the formal part of the reception to
start based on when she arrives.
2 minutesSonia Stines Derenoncourt quiets the group, introduces herself, welcomes
everyone and introduces Stacy Rhodes, Chief of Staff
5 minutes- Stacy Rhodes, Chief of Staff, gives remarks and introduces the Acting Director
of Peace Corps, Carrie Hessler-Radelet
15 minutes--Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Acting Director of Peace Corps: Welcome to Peace
Corps
It is my pleasure to welcome the 51 Overseas Staff Training participants to Washington
D.C. and Peace Corps Headquarters for the Fall OST. This event is always a treat as it
gives us the opportunity to interact with our newest overseas staff before they have been
at their posts and our host country national staff who come ready to share their rich
experiences from countries around the world.

This is a dynamic and robust group with:

4 participants in the Country Director Track
36 participants in the Programming and Training Track and
11 participants in Administrative Track

Its always an exciting time to join Peace Corps and now is no exception. After an
amazing 50th anniversary year, with celebrations around the world and around the United
States, we are embarking on the path that is leading us into the next 50 years.

As a result of the Comprehensive Assessment that was completed in 2010, Peace Corps
has made a number of changes, reforms and innovations that we are implementing and
your contributions will strengthen the efforts we are making in that regard.

We are in the midst of directing a renewed focus on Volunteer safety and security. This
past year, we introduced new safety and security training modules that each post is now
including in pre-service training for every Volunteer. Weve also developed an online

Safety and Security module for our invitees to better prepare them for their Peace Corps
service.

Weve created the Office of Victim Advocacy and are doing more to ensure that
Volunteers who are victims of sexual assault and other serious crimes get the support
they need.

I hope by now you have all heard of Focus In/Train Up. This is our approach for
utilizing our generalist Volunteers, training our Volunteers in the things that Volunteers
do best, and measuring and maximizing Peace Corps impact so that we can tell our story
in a more powerful way.

So you can see that we will be keeping you very busy in your new roles!

The OST facilitators have planned a rich array of training activities and sessions to help
prepare you for your new positions or to enhance your abilities in your current positions.
Many agency staff will be there to share important information and to let you know the
ways in which they will support you once you are at your post. I think you will be
impressed at the generosity of the staff who share their time and talents with you.

We all feel fortunate to work in an organization where so many are so willing to do so

much for your success.

Id like to introduce our OST staff since they have key roles in your training:

Margo Jeanchild is the Country Director Track facilitator and chief of the training unit.
Margo has over 25 years of experience with Peace Corps and was a CD in three
countries.

Francis Asturias is the Administrative Track facilitator. She shares her immense charm
and vast experience in the Administrative arena. She was a long serving DMO in
Guatemala and has also assisted in many posts around the world.

JJ Di Bella is the resident Programming and Training expert with field experience in
Zambia. She has been leading Focus In/Train Up for the agency this year and has done
an excellent job.

Jenn Albee joins the OST team this year as the DPT track facilitator having recently
served as the DPT in Panama.

Kara Rogers is the OST Coordinator and the OST Assistants Camilla Pearson, Jacob
Roberts and Mickelle Rodriguez provide logistical and technical support and are the
reasons that OST runs so smoothly.

Importance of OST
Overseas Staff Training (OST) is a very special time for you to learn, to explore issues
that you will face in your work at your post, to meet with colleagues who do jobs similar
to yours and to share your knowledge with each other.

For those of us in Washington, its an opportunity to share our strategic themes and
priorities and to get to know you as we interact in sessions and gatherings like this.

Its here that you begin to develop those important relationships with the people who will
be supporting you at post. Whether its getting to know your desk officer or knowing the
right person to call with a specific issue or problem, those relationships can be a key
factor in a posts success. We hope you will take every opportunity to begin or
strengthen those relationships.

But as important as OST is, its only one part of a continuum of learning that you will
pursue throughout your service with the Peace Corps. The greatest learning will, of
course, take place when you begin to put what you learn here at OST to use at your post.

I trust that you will take full advantage of your time in OST to learn all you can, to share
what you know with others and to develop those relationships that will be so important
when you return to your posts. We are happy to be able to provide this opportunity and
thank you for your commitment to Peace Corps.

Closing
Peace Corps would not be what it is today without the hard work of each and every one
of you in this room. Despite the five-year rule, I know that many of you have been with
Peace Corps for quite some time. Has anyone here worked with Peace Corps for more
than 20 years? 10 or more? 5 or more? 1 or more? 5 days? (Note: this is how long new
staff have worked at PC so at least some should raise their hands)

I want to say a special thank you to the 32 host country national staff who are here today.
Those of us who were Volunteers or worked at a post overseas understand the huge
contribution that you make. You are the backbone of Peace Corps and your contribution
is vital to our mission.

Your support to Peace Corps Volunteers in each of the roles you play is critical. We are
counting on you to lead the way to Peace Corps next 50 years. Thanks again for all you
do. We are all happy to have you here!!

6:45- Carrie Hessler-Radelet turns the floor back to Stacy Rhodes.

6:45-6:50- Stacy thanks the Acting Director for her remarks and asks each of the attendees at the
reception to introduce him/herself. After the introductions, Stacy closes the remarks and
encourages everyone to stay, enjoy the food and drink and continue getting to know one another.