Archive - April 13, 2017

  Keep America Beautiful announced on April 11, 2017 that Helen Lowman (Thailand 1988-91), who served as an appointee of President Barack Obama at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and with the Peace Corps, has been named the organization’s new president and CEO. She will assume the role on May 1. From 2010 to 2017, Lowman served as an appointee of the President of the United States in the senior foreign service and the senior executive service. Most recently, she was Director-Individual and Community Preparedness at FEMA in Washington, D.C., overseeing programs to increase citizen and community preparedness while encouraging disaster and crisis resilience. Previously, she served in a variety of roles with the Peace Corps, directing Recruitment Office in DC as an Associate Director. She earlier served as Regional Director-Europe, Middle East and Asia, Peace Corps’ largest geographic region. Earlier in her career, Lowman managed environmental education events . . .

  Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao, who was briefly a director of the Peace Corps (1991-92), and RPCV Netflix CEO Reed Hastings (Swaziland 1983-86), will reflect on their experiences as leaders in government and business and discuss the need for a spirit of service and idealism. The talk will be moderated by Ann Compton, former White House correspondent for ABC News. The discussion, “Inspiring a Sense of Service and Idealism,” will highlight the evolution of the Peace Corps and how its ideals remain relevant today—five decades after its founding.  The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, in the Coolidge Auditorium on the ground level of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.  Tickets are not needed, but an RSVP is required to specialevents@loc.gov. In recognition of the centennial of the birth of President John F. Kennedy, . . .