Time Line of the NPCA Leadership Transition
For those groups that feel strongly that this has been unfair- drop your affiliation with the national group. Those individuals…
Letter published May 22, 2022
Dear Members of the Peace Corps Community,
National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is dedicated to serving the Peace Corps community and supporting the mission of the Peace Corps. NPCA is committed to providing support, resources, and advocacy while promoting a spirit of respect and acceptance of all people.
The Board of NPCA takes all allegations of an unsafe or hostile workplace environment for women or others very seriously and has not and will not condone such an environment at NPCA. The allegations referenced in the recent posts online are not new. The Board took action to engage an independent and qualified investigator to conduct a thorough examination of these charges when they were brought to the attention of the Board. The independent investigator concluded that the allegations of misconduct were not credible and that NPCA did not present an unsafe or hostile work environment for women.
The posts also reference an older lawsuit in which other former employees alleged a hostile work environment at NPCA. In that case, the allegations were investigated by an experienced and qualified attorney who found the allegations unfounded.
We regret these allegations have been raised again in an attempt to damage the reputation of NPCA and its employees. The board and staff of NPCA remain committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of its operation.
Kim Herman
Board Chair, NPCA
May 22, 2022
National Peace Corps Association SPECIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Virtual Meeting via Zoom
June 6, 2022
Meeting Minutes
Directors Present: Nikole Allen, Michael Bailkin, Glenn Blumhorst (ex officio), Mary Broude, Evelyn Ganzglass, Jeffrey Janis, Chip Levengood, Katie Long, Jed Meline, Robert Nolan, Eileen O’Donnell, Mary Owen-Thomas, Gretchen Upholt, Faith Van Gilder, XiNomara Velazquez Yehuda, Albert Whitaker
Directors Absent: None
Call to Order – Kim Herman
The Board Chair called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m. Eastern Time. All Board Directors were present and a quorum was met.
Glenn Blumhorst, President/CEO, gave a summary of recent online allegations against the staff of NPCA and proposed suggested actions the board might consider.
The board moved to Executive Session at 5:27 p.m. Eastern Time.
Glenn Blumhorst was asked to recuse himself from the meeting due to matters under discussion. Glenn objected to the recusal, but left the meeting.
MOTION: The Board hereby resolves to a form a Communications Task Force (co-chaired by Board Directors Nikole Allen and Eileen O’Donnell) to help NPCA appropriately engage the staff, affiliate groups, donors, grantors, and others and open greater dialogue with our community; and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Policy Task Force (chaired by Board Director XiNomara Velazquez Yehuda) to use the previously adopted NPCA DEI Framework to develop a DEI Policy for NPCA that will help promote a positive organizational culture for adoption by the Board.
Motion approved.
President & CEO NPCA
MOTION: The Board of Directors of NPCA hereby resolves to terminate the employment of President and CEO, Mr. Glenn Blumhorst, effective in 3 days and place him on Administrative leave effective immediately until that time. In consideration of Mr. Blumhorst’s long service to NPCA, we resolve to allow him the option to resign and receive severance pay up to three months of his current salary assuming he also accepts certain conditions to be negotiated by the NPCA
Glenn Blumhorst’s departure and the transition in leadership
If two different independent qualified investigators found the allegations of misconduct not credible and unfounded, why was Glenn’s employment terminated? An explanation is in order.
Sounds like a September 6th power grab to me and I want o part of NPCA with its current board of directors.
After conducting an exhaustive Executive search, how likely is it the board will find one of its own most qualified to be the next CEO & President? Watch.
Speaking of power, having the position of CEO and President invested in one person is a poor organizational structure. The responsibilities of President and of CEO should be delineated and the invested in two different officials.
If it is found the responsibilities of CEO and President overlap then there should be either a CEO or a President but not both.
I have no confidence in the current NPCA board. If there was an alternate national organization to NPCA, I would join that organization.
Jim Wolter,
Malaya I, ’61-’66
I said at the beginning of this saga that it was ludicrous to accuse the NPCA and its officials of sexual abuse and bias against women. It has a very good reputation of following non-discriminatory policies. I believe I realized the ludicrous nature of this challenge when I found that the first charge was that Glenn Blumhorst ate ice cream at a function in a suggestive manner. I agree that this nothing more than a power grab by disgruntled former employees, I am truly sorry to see Glenn treated so badly.
So, In spite of an independent investigation that determined the charges of sexual misconduct were not credible, the board fired Blumhorst anyway. Then give no reason for his termination. For this arbitrary and illogical action, the entire NPCA board should be voted out at the next election, if not sooner.
I wonder if this issue will come up at the next Peace Corps Connect affiliates meeting.
I agree with all three comments above. We still don’t know what the hell happened! But we RPCVs of Gulf Coast Florida have met and know Glenn quite well and can’t believe he would behave in the manner alleged.
Leita Kaldi Davis
Senegal 1993-96
President, RPCVGCF
Recipient Lillian Carter Award 2017
No matter what the truth is, the lack of transparency makes it doubtful that a woman in service now as a current volunteer, could feel confident about commitment for her safety in another country. Not if this is the group providing that assurance as they state above.
For too long female victims have not been believed thus importance of careful investigation and reporting. For all parties involved!
For those groups that feel strongly that this has been unfair- drop your affiliation with the national group. Those individuals who also feel that this has been unfair- do not send any money to the national group. This is America, home of the free and the brave. Anyone and everyone is free to be brave and to write and publish a critical article.