Peace Corps
Since the independence of Armenia from the Soviet Union, the United States Peace Corps has been sending volunteers to Armenia to teach English, Health, Business and Environmental issues.
On August 15, 2005, 43 new volunteers were sworn into the American Peace Corps in Armenia. This is the 13th group that has come to Armenia. The even took place at the Armenian Marriott Hotel. US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans state "I am calling upon you to use your knowledge in Armenia as best as you can." during the ceremony. Patrick Hart the Country Director of the Peace Corps Armenia said that the volunteers are in collaboration with the Armenian counterpart organizations in the areas of English language education, business and community development, and health and environmental education.
Peace Corps Armenia was established in 1992 at the invitation of the Armenian government. There have been more than 500 volunteers in the Peace Corps that have served in Armenia. 90 volunteers will be working in schools, universities, NGOs, and health facilities throughout the country of Armenia.
Volunteers
This is a list of some of the Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) that have served in Armenia over the years. Each group has an acronym, based in the year they arrived. For example the volunteers that arrived in the summer of 2004 are called the "A12"s.
2012 (A20)
2011 (A19)
2010 (A18)
2009 (A17)
2008 (A16)
- Nicole Cashin
- Brian Gilmer
- Sasha Levine
2007 (A15)
2006 (A14)
- Betty Nipatpun Tham
- Kyle Gifford
- Alex Harris
- Eileen Marin
2005 (A13)
- photo of A13 group
- Elvira Dana (right year?)
2004 (A12)
- Renee Alleman
- Cherie Andreassen
- Lars Andreassen
- Gina Angelelle
- James Applegate
- Katherine Bante
- Bonnie Barron
- Leslie Blanchard
- William Bostwich
- Eric Bousman
- Emily Brittain
- Penelope Brunner
- Camille Carter-Armorer
- Wendy Chang
- Corey Chester
- Kathleen Chisholm
- Catherine Cvengros
- William Dickinson
- Elizabeth Endris
- William Furnish
- Arlene Gardner
- Nicholas Giammaria
- Jillian Guglielmo
- Yo-Jung Ha
- Nicole Hendrix
- Laura Holt
- Brett Holt
- Charlie Ihrke
- Tony Kim
- Sashe Koftinow
- Donald Kramer
- Leslie Long
- Andrew Love
- Janet Munro
- Joshua Olson
- Kristi Orendi
- Christopher Panzica
- Dennis Price
- Ryan Ratay
- Morgan Ruelle
- Tamara Sant
- John Sarraf
- Kimberly Spigelmiro
- Nicholas Spina
- Tera Sprague
- Jason Sprague
- John Tease
- Joel White
- Susan Wieluns
- Robert Wieluns
- Allison Young
2003 (A11)
- Barbara Eberhardt
- Natalie Bryant Rizzieri
- Jeremy Richart
- Dan Retz
- Michael Plunkett
- Jalal Volker
- Brian Raymond
2002 (A10)
- Salena Bailey
- Kim Bohince
- Steve Gabel
- Colleen Hardin
- Aaron Martinez
- Ashley Wood
- Joshua Wood
2001 (A9)
- Andrew Golda
2000 (A8)
- Linda Asaro
- Sagar Vyas
- Thomas I. Johnson
- John-Paul Anderson
1999 (A7)
- Bill Peters
- Jamey Dempster
- Zachariah M. Brevis
- Christopher F. Smith
- Catherine Hardee
- Elaina Cortez
- John O'Malley
- Jon Cooke
- Melanie Thompson
- Stacey Griffith
- Colin Bonner
- Jesse Janetta
- Victoria Hurn
- M. Scott Irwin
- April Fain
- Shawn Larson
- Matt Fabian
- Bryan Lopp
- Julie Judkins
- Chana Hennessee
- Michelle Gallagher
- Nick Davis
- Janelle Pulczinski
- Lynne Harris
- Jeanne Smith
- Rebecca Anders
- Mandy Manning
- Anne Monchamp
- Jacob Jacobs
- Kevin Kaye
1998 (A6)
- Dale F. Lampe
- John Schuchart
- Shaun Hall
- Patrick F. O'Neill
1997 (A5)
- Andrew Karsian
- Christopher Cassell
- Lisa Householder-Owsley
- David McFarland
- Kristi Rendahl
- Lisa Scorsolini
- Dan Hadley
1996 (A4)
- Jennifer Cochran
- Rich Bartell
- David McFarland
1995 (A3)
- Arthur Queenan
- David Seppelin
- Elaine Colella
- Jenny Tolley
- Sylva Etian
- Zachary Jean Chartkoff
- Anthony Kingsley
- Loretta Land
- Stephanie Brennan - Working at Jermuk natural spring water bottling plant. Later ran IESC.
- Jason Harris-Boundy -Working at Zvartnots International Airport. (Cargo Handling)
- Rachel McDevitt - in Yerevan teaching English.
- Robert Talbot - Shared a pad with him in Yerevan :-)
- Eli
- Roy
- Andrew
- Tony
- Rose Winter
- Zachary
- Leisel Harris-Boundy
- Cathy
- Veronica
- Robert Talbot
- Jennifer
- Matt
- Erika
- Bryn
- Frank
- Rick
- Laurel
- Dave
- Albert - Worked on small loan project in Gyumri with Lynell.
- Heather
- John Armstrong
- Shanon... almost an A3 later worked at Armenian Technology Group in Yerevan.
1994 (A2)
- John Perfitt
- Denise Talotta
- Charles Specht
- Melissa
- Shay
- Mike George
- Other Mike
- Adam - later worked at USAID in Yerevan.
- Kent Herzer - later worked at Save the Children in Yerevan.
- Lynell Herzer
- Susan Working at student exchange program in Yerevan.
1993 (A1)
- Richard Seltz
- Natalie
- Denise Chafee. Later worked at Quality Schools International in Yerevan.
- Adam
- Natalie Working at USIAAD in Yerevan.
- Arminda Working at Fund for Democracy and Development in Yerevan.
- Sueko Working at student exchange program in Yerevan.
- Chris
- Lisa? (?A1) Working at USAID in Yerevan.
Articles about Peace Corps Armenia
Peace Corps Volunteers Help Armenian Women Create Small Business; Sell Homemade Toys
States News Service January 27, 2012 Friday
The following information was released by the Peace Corps:
Peace Corps volunteers John Hart of Fayetteville, Ark., and Caroline Lucas of Cary, N.C., helped launch a women-owned small business in Armenia selling and producing handmade stuffed bears. Since the Berd Bear project started in March 2011, the women have sold 230 bears, and generated thousands of dollars.
"Soon after conceiving the idea, we began producing handcrafted Berd Bears non-stop, including personalized accessories and clothing," said Hart, a graduate of the University of Arkansas. "This project has been so successful, and I directly attribute that success to the dedication of the women."
When Hart arrived in northeastern Armenia in 2010, he worked with his new community to identify income-generating projects for local women.
Hart soon helped create the Berd Women's Resource Center Foundation (BWRCF) for women to knit stuffed bears and sell them regionally.
Each stuffed bear is handmade from start to finish by members of the group. The bear's head, body, legs and arms are created using Armenian knitting techniques and assembled by a group of women who stuff and sew it together. Button eyes, a nose, and a mouth are then added, and the bear is dressed in either standard or traditional Armenian clothing. Male bears wear knitted sweaters and hand-sewn slacks, and females wear hand-sewn dresses. In total each Berd Bear requires about 18 hours of labor.
"The women of Berd are incredibly talented and hardworking. They put a lot of pride into their craft, which is evident in each carefully and lovingly handmade bear," said Lucas, a graduate of Chapman University.
"As sales of the Berd Bear increase, more local Armenian women are able to work in full-time positions with the BWRCF."
Additional income generated by sales of the Berd Bear is used to provide members of the foundation with training classes in basic computer skills, business development and other topics.
"Aside from the financial benefits generated by bear sales, the women are also gaining business and leadership skills," continued Lucas.
"Now, these women can help support their families."
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