Author Archives: Amy Potthast

04.21.09
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Maria Eitel Nominated to Serve as the New CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service

Maria Eitel

Update:May 22: Maria Eitel withdrew her name citing health reasons.

President Obama has announced his intention to nominate Maria Eitel to serve as the Corporation’s new CEO.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is the federal agency that has overseen AmeriCorps and other national service programs since their launch in 1993. Eitel will fill the position vacated last fall by out-going CEO David Eisner and filled currently by Acting CEO Nicola Goren.

Eitel is the founding President of the Nike Foundation where she has worked “to unleash the girl effect, the powerful social and economic change brought about when girls have opportunity.” She has led efforts “to put girls on the global agenda and drive resources to them with the goal of eradicating global poverty.”

In a White House statement, President Obama said:

“I am pleased to announce my intent to nominate Maria Eitel to be CEO for the Corporation for National and Community Service.   Maria brings a unique blend of skills and management experience that will help her successfully lead the Corporation during our Administration’s bold expansion of national service programs.  Maria is genuinely passionate about the role of national and community service as a vehicle for engaging and mobilizing citizens in social change, and will bring new, creative thinking to the growth and mission of the Corporation.”

Previously she had served as Nike Inc.’s first vice president for corporate responsibility, as the European corporate affairs group manager for Microsoft Corporation and at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and MCI Communications Corp. She’s also served in the White House doing media affairs work. She holds degrees fromMcGill University (BS), Georgetown University (MSFS), and Stanford University (SEP).

Eitel has served on boards for the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on HIV/AIDS, Millennium Promise, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Lakeside School in Seattle, Wash, Young Presidents Organization International and the Acumen Fund.

Read the press release from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

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04.21.09
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The Signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act

SAA signingToday President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act into law. It will take affect October 1 of this year. Read more about the Act.

During one of the most exciting National Volunteer Weeks in recent memory, President Obama and national service supporters gathered today at the SEED School in Washington, D.C., an academic and boarding charter school.

At the signing, Obama said, our “government cannot do everything alone,” but needs the help of citizens in local communities everywhere. And national service isn’t just for recent college graduates (watch news footage from AARP.) Sounding Whitman-esque, he called people every where to “Put your shoulder to the wheel” of service — and if you do, you can look back on the “moment when your own story and the American story converged.”

Michelle Obama and Bill ClintonHe also recognized Bill Clinton for launching AmeriCorps during his administration, and the First Lady Michelle Obama who was the founding executive director of Public Allies Chicago, a national service program.

Obama went on to talk about the long legacy of service contributed by the Kennedy family including Ted Kennedy, for whom the legislation is now named.

He also introduced Maria Eitel his nominee for the new chief executive post at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and Acting C.E.O. Nicola Goren.

The bill re-authorizes CNCS and its programs through 2014, and authorizes sweeping expansion of national service (with a nod Continue reading →

04.20.09
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Asia Society Hosts a Discussion about China RPCV’s Book

The Last Days of Old BeijingMichael Meyer, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in China (1995-97), will appear at the Asia Society in New York City on May 7th.

Meyer will be discussing his recent book The Last Days of Old Beijing with Orville Schell, the director of the Center on US-China Relations, at an Asia Society event — Conversation with Author Michael Meyer.

A longtime Beijing resident, Michael Meyer has been sharing a courtyard home for several years in Beijing’s oldest hutongs, Dazhalan. The book chronicles the people in his neighborhood, the forced evictions there resulting from urban overhaul and commercialization, and the destruction of its way of life.

You can also read a recent essay of Meyer’s in the New York Times (free login required).

The Peace Corps China program started in 1993. Listen to a podcast featuring current Peace Corps China country director Bonnie Thie. The program has produced a bevy of other writers like Peter Hessler and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jake Hooker.

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04.17.09
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New Podcast: Volunteer, National Service, and Nonprofit Resources on the Resource Center

Resource Center logoThe newest Idealist podcast features the Resource Center.

The Resource Center, a website of the Corporation for National and Community Service, is the repository of over 8,000 nodes of training tools, publications, and effective practices to support volunteer programs, nonprofits, and people involved with the AmeriCorps family of programs. The Resource Center–free and accessible to all audience–boasts a 3,000-item lending library as well as a calendar of events of interest to national service programs and nonprofits.

The guests on The New Service podcast are Laura Norvig, the Resource Center’s librarian, and Jason Scott, the Training Officer and eLearning Specialist at the Corporation for National and Community Service. Listen to the podcast. Continue reading →

04.16.09
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Young Professionals of the Indian Diaspora Contribute Skills and Time to India

picture-101The Indian service program that recruits people of Indian family background, from all around the world, has launched a program to offer shorter-term opportunities specifically for young professionals.

Indicorps invites young Indian professionals to commit their time and skills to India through the Young Professionals Initiative (YPI), a new sabbatical program that allows people to meaningfully bring their knowledge and talents to India.

YPI, still in pilot phase, offers new experts in a variety of fields the opportunity to participate in half-year, goal-oriented service projects that can have an enormous impact for good on Indian communities.

The program will run between July 1 and December 1, 2009.

Associates will take on these projects (see full project descriptions):