Co-Authored By: Raisa Alstodt, Andrea DeSantis, Megan Celestine, and Jody Olsen
Retreat Reflections: Where did we come from? Where are we going? How do we want the organization to feel?
Hi Readers, Members, Friends, RPCVs,
We’re the Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL). We wanted to share our 2026 reflections and planning that came from our January retreat. This year we’re striving to develop our membership more through storytelling, mentoring, increased communication, and knowledge sharing. Let us know if there’s something in particular that you’d like to see from us by emailing [email protected].
Any time we move forward, it’s also important to reflect: Where did we come from? How are we feeling? This pushes us to strive for: Where do we want to go? How do we want to feel? At our 2026 retreat, we reflected a good amount, and we wanted to share some of that reflection with you all. Let’s get started with reflection from one of our newest committee members, Andrea DeSantis.
Reflections from Andrea
I’ve experienced social anxiety my entire life. If I’m invited to something new, I learned long ago that I’m challenged unless there’s something familiar anchoring me: a place I’ve been before, people I know well. If neither of those things is in place, I prepare. I practice conversations and scenarios. I think about where I’m going to put my hands. That’s what I was doing on the drive to the WPCL annual retreat. The experience was new to me. The people, for the most part, were new to me too; primarily boxes on a screen or names (THE TITANS of Peace Corps) that I had come to recognize over the years. I parked, took deep breaths, and prepared myself for the internal dialogue battle that is anxiety. Then, I walked in…I felt awkward, yes, but no longer anxious. The other women on the advisory board were so supportive, kind, deeply knowledgeable, and so generous with their knowledge.
There were a few minutes of eating and socializing before we officially began. Usually these are the moments when I crumble. But everyone, the most powerful and well-known women of the Peace Corps world, and often in their fields, were so welcoming and kind. They respected who I am as a listener. I absorbed their knowledge, their updates on the important work they’ve been leading, and I could clearly see my own input and value reflected in the discussion. I felt part of the group. Like I fit in.
I left retreat feeling supported, relaxed, and energized. Relaxed, for me, means something different than it might for others. It means not overthinking. Not keeping my armor up. I rarely feel that way unless I’m with my family. In retrospect, that’s exactly where I was. I was with Peace Corps family. A wonderful group of women empowering other women. I’m so grateful to be a part of this family.
We were honored to welcome Andrea to this Women of Peace Corps Legacy family. New board and committee members provide an influx of fresh ideas and new perspectives. If you’re ever looking to get more involved, feel free to email us at [email protected] and either join the board or a committee. We were also excited to welcome back previous board members at retreat, specifically our very own, Megan Celestine. Megan was a previous WPCL Co-President and Comms Director.
Reflections from Megan
Coming back to the WPCL retreat this year felt a little like coming home. I stepped away from the board for about a year to focus on other priorities, so as the day approached, I felt both excited and a little nervous. I wondered if I would still fit in after time away.
The moment I walked in, those worries quickly faded. The room was alive with conversation, laughter, the smell of coffee, and the kind of warmth that makes you feel instantly welcomed. Within minutes it felt familiar again, a reminder of why this community has meant so much to me over the years. What stuck with me most was the energy in the room (and the flip charts). Women sharing ideas, building relationships, and asking big questions about how we can strengthen the mission and reflect on who we are as an organization. After many months of job searching and uncertainty, being in that room was exactly what I needed: the connection, the exchange of ideas, the sense of purpose. It was energizing in a way that reminded me why spaces like this matter.
As I left the retreat, with a bag of apricot treats and brownies in hand, I felt grateful to be back with this organization. I am especially excited to step back into a role supporting communications and helping elevate the stories that connect and strengthen women and girls globally. Being together again was a powerful reminder of the impact we can continue to have together.
We were honored to welcome Megan back home and cherish the insights she always shares on strategically progressing the organization to expand membership and impact. Next, one of Co-Presidents, Jody Olsen, reflects on what retreat meant to her. We are honored to have someone with Jody’s experience “steering the wheel”, leading our organization in collaboration with the talented Kimberly Murphy (see our January blog written by Kim).
Reflections from Jody
Heavy rain made me more anxious than usual driving across the Potomac River to an unknown address in Arlington, VA. But upon arrival, Kate Raftery’s living room, filled with smells of coffee, morning sweets, and the beginnings of slow-cooked chili, said, “relax,” and I did. I sat next to a new committee member I had only seen via Zoom before this moment. We laughed at being able to actually see our shoes, our hands, our height. We held real conversation, face-to-face. Trust in each other strengthens when being together, hugging, getting each other tea, and asking about kids or a recent Peace Corps trip. During our morning retreat, we talked business, made decisions, and discussed new program ideas, all while sharing personal stories.
I’ve been part of WPCL for 11 years, since its founding. We’ve changed since then: our membership, the type of support we give each other, communication, and our reach to women globally. We are younger, older, and more diverse in our lives and experiences. We are stronger for the differences we bring while united in what our Peace Corps service has given us. This morning together reminded me that we are stronger as individuals when we collaborate together.
Afterward, I offered to take Pam Martin home into the District. I punched in the wrong GPS, and in continuing rain, we found ourselves miles to somewhere else, neither of us noticing because of conversation. More WPCL ideas, more stories, more energy for our work. We laughed. This will be a good year, despite any challenges we may encounter.
We, at Women of Peace Corps Legacy, are incredibly grateful for all the work Jody, and our whole team, have put into the organization over the years. We are also thankful for everyone who attended retreat and collaborated in the process to steer our organization for the year. Overall, retreat was a wonderful bonding experience and empowerment opportunity. We had stimulating conversation about where we wanted the organization to head, and we came up with 6 goals for 2026:
- Invest in organizational and institutional processes and systems to strengthen our ability to meet our goals.
- Develop our membership and develop analytics to increase and diversify our membership.
- Through promotion of a fully endowed awards program, improve brand recognition and achieve our fundraising goals.
- Deepen relationships between intergenerational members through expanding our mentorship and events programs.
- Broaden geographic reach of WPCL beyond Washington, DC metro region through outreach to regional, country, and affinity groups.
- Expand our Extra-Ordinary Women podcast interviews and reach.
See the recording of our 2026 Member Meeting that occurred in February for more details on these goals and each committee’s individual goals for 2026. We find it incredibly important to make sure we share our organizational goals with our members so that they know what to look forward to, and they know what to expect from us. Thank you to our members for keeping us going. We truly look forward to all that we will accomplish this year as an organization.
Read more on those that put this article together:
Andrea DeSantis served in the Philippines 2001-2003. She’s former Peace Corps HQ staff (2015-2020) and field staff member (Samoa 2020-2023) whose service continues to shape her commitment to connection, community, and women’s leadership. Andrea is a first-year mentor with the WPCL/RPCV Nexus mentoring program and serves on both the WPCL Mentoring and Fundraising Committees. She is grateful for the intergenerational connection with Peace Corps women and the opportunity to give back to a network that has meant so much to her personal and professional journey. Andrea lives in Washington DC with her husband and two children who wholeheartedly embrace shenanigans as a family value. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Megan Celestine served in Dominica, Eastern Caribbean from 2014 to 2017 as a literacy co-teacher and Peace Corps Volunteer Leader. Her service shaped her commitment to community centered leadership and to the power of women supporting women across generations. Professionally, she has worked in federal policy and program management, drawn to roles that strengthen systems, remove barriers, and keep people at the center. For Megan, WPCL creates space for connection, mentorship, and impact long after service ends. It is a community grounded in shared experience, reflection, and action. Megan was a previous WPCL Co-President and Comms Director. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Josephine (Jody) Olsen served as Peace Corps Director, 2018 – 2021. In March, 2020, because of the COVID pandemic, she led the successful nine-day evacuation of all 7,000 Peace Corps Volunteers from 61 countries to the US. Jody was a Peace Corps Volunteer, Tunisia, 1966-1968, and has served the agency in five other senior positions. Her memoir about her Peace Corps service, A Million Miles, is now available. Today, she co-chairs WPCL. Jody has a PhD from the University of Maryland and has been awarded three honorary doctorates. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Raisa Alstodt served in Ukraine 2019-2020 TEFL. She was one of Jody’s evacuated volunteers. Her service shaped the way she sees the world. Since COVID, Raisa has been involved with WPCL and the (RPCVs) Alliance for Ukraine. She currently serves on the Grants Committee for the Alliance for Ukraine. She’s been involved with WPCL’s Communications and Event & Outreach Committees and has been a RPCVnexus mentor, soaking in the wisdom of women like Jody and Megan. Raisa is also the Comms Director for RPCV/W. Professionally, Raisa strives to be a data-driven decision maker focused on user design in how she manages projects, analyzes risk, and plans change management. Connect with her on LinkedIn.