What: Environment & Climate Programming with Peace Corps
When: Thursday, January 18, 2024
Time: 8pm ET | 7pm CT | 6pm MT | 5pm PT
Where: Join us on Zoom
https://cmu.zoom.us/j/98703146498?pwd=YmI4cnJZYWJhSHpyaEFxOXB3R3N2QT09
Meeting ID: 987 0314 6498
Passcode: KeepCool
Questions? Contact Mel Siegel, mws@cmu.edu.
We are pleased to welcome two staff members from Peace Corps new and growing team of environmental and climate change programming. Dr. Alexandra Sutton Lawrence is Senior Advisor for Climate, Office of Global Operations, Peace Corps headquarters. Nik Karr is Climate Change Project Expert at Peace Corps. You can read their bios in the Speaker Bios tab on this web page.
Dr. Lawrence will attend if time permits. Nik is confirmed to talk about the programming approach Peace Corps is taking, and engage us in our thoughts, suggestions and interest. We look forward to learning the Peace Corps vision for how RPCV4EA and the Citizen Science-Climate Action team can become productively involved in program development, delivery, and support.
Dr. Alexandra Sutton Lawrence
Alexandra Sutton Lawrence is Senior Advisor for Climate, Office of Global Operations, Peace Corps headquarters. She earned a master's degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a PhD in Environmental Science from Duke University, and had several years of related research and teaching experience before joining Peace Corps staff early in 2023.
She is a Ph.D. biodiversity ecologist with over 14 years of experience in biodiversity conservation and environmental justice, specialized at working with and within Indigenous, African-American, and Aframerindian/Afro-Indigenous communities. She earned dual advanced degrees in environmental science and humanities -- Environment & American Studies.
Dr. Lawrence creates impactful environmental change by building authentic and resonant relationships between scientists, marginalized communities, and legislators around the world. Her inclusive, multilateral approach helps to relieve conflicts over natural resources and develops long-lasting, personal investments in global biodiversity conservation. She also specializes in science communication, with most of her writing centered on global wildlife conservation, and aimed at diverse non-scientific audiences.
Nicolas (Nik) Karr
Nik Karr is the Climate Change Project Expert at Peace Corps. He is graduate of Western Oregon University with a bachelor's degree in Health Promotion and Human Biology, and Boston University with a master's degree in International Public Health.
As a PCV from 2010-2013, Nik served in the Republic of Vanuatu as a Community Health Facilitator, where he obtained substantial external funding for projects in Sexual Reproductive Health, Youth Development, and Climate Change Adaptation initiatives. He also facilitated design and operation of a gravity-fed water delivery system than served over 500 people. In his extended year, Nik continued his service in Vanuatu as a Management Advisor in a variety of training projects.
In 2013 Nik completed his Master of Public Health at Boston University, focusing of disaster management, complex humanitarian emergency response, and related issues, both quantitative and practical.
He subsequently joined Peace Corps staff, first in Vanuatu where he was responsible for programming and training, and then in DC where he worked in several administrative positions. From 2017 to 2023 he was Director of Programming and Training, a six year period during which he was responsible for the operational transition to modern digital-technology based management and training.
In the fall of 2023, Nik took on new responsibility as Peace Corps Climate Change Project Expert. His work spans the full range of program development and implementation, volunteer training and support, and outcome monitoring and programming response.
My Attendance
