By Sam McDonald
When Allison Greene was named chief executive officer of the Peace Corps early this year, she reached the pinnacle of a career powered by world-spanning perspective and experience.
Greene, who earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in International Studies at ±¬ÁϹÏ, was assigned the task of leading America’s 64-year-old effort to grow global understanding through volunteerism. She’s clearly excited by the challenge.
Before joining the Peace Corps, Greene held positions at the Department of Defense, where she oversaw research and policy development on foreign language and cultural strategy; and with two international organizations focusing on youth, the American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (Oasis of Peace), and Peace Players International.
While in graduate school at Old Dominion, Greene concurrently served as an assistant coach for the University’s women’s basketball team.
She holds a bachelor’s in philosophy from Dartmouth College, and studied French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and American Sign Language. Add to that a stint playing basketball professionally in Portugal, and you have a resume that’s global in scope.
Greene recently answered questions about her life, memories of Old Dominion, and vision for the Peace Corps.
Her answers have been edited for length and clarity.
What drew you to the Peace Corps?Ìý
As a mission-driven person, working for organizations that align with my values is most important to me. Going from the Pentagon to the Peace Corps may not seem to be a likely path, but both are service organizations with meaningful values-based missions. I started working at the Peace Corps in 2022 because I’ve always admired the agency and its profound mission of promoting world peace and friendship in the spirit of public diplomacy. As someone who studied and taught intercultural competence and foreign languages, few organizations teach and apply both more effectively than the Peace Corps, which further drew me to the agency.
What would you like the public to know about the Peace Corps?
Peace Corps service is an extraordinary, life-altering experience that has a lasting impact well beyond one’s service. At the heart of the agency’s work is the transformative power of public service and human connection. Since 1961, over 240,000 Volunteers in 144 countries have taken action, spread optimism, and harnessed human connection in support of global progress in agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health, and youth in development in some of the most remote areas of the world. While the Peace Corps may be best known for our unique model of community-based development, to me, the lasting legacy of this agency is people-to-people diplomacy, and its true impact often extends far beyond volunteers’ assignments.ÌýÌý
What do you hope to achieve as the Peace Corps’ CEO?ÌýÌý
Big picture, I would love to see the profile of the Peace Corps increased among the American public and embedded in our nation’s culture. The Peace Corps is partnering with America250 to make 2026 the largest year of service in history as we commemorate and celebrate our nation’s semi quincentennial. I hope to further raise the visibility and value proposition of the agency — and to share and highlight the benefits of service and volunteerism in general — so we can continue to attract talented volunteers to serve in one of our current 60 countries around the globe.
What are your thoughts when you look back on your years assistant basketball coach for the Monarchs?Ìý
Being a part of a team sport is commensurate with being a part of an extended family, and my ±¬ÁÏ¹Ï experience was that and then some. You experience the highs and lows of sport and life together and it bonds you forever. We won a lot of games, including ten conference championships in ten years and significant post-season success with multiple Sweet 16s and a runner-up finish in the national championship game in 1997. But what I miss the most is the connections with the players and that sense of family. I especially loved the mentorship aspects, being a part of young people’s lives, and seeing how their student-athlete experience not only prepared them for what comes next but also helped them discover who they are at the core. I remain in close touch with many former players and coaches and our alumni events are like a family reunion.
Did your studies at Old Dominion prepare you well for your multifaceted career?
The Graduate Program in International Studies (GPIS) at ±¬ÁÏ¹Ï is a blue-ribbon program. Since the beginning, it has featured world-class faculty who are at the cutting edge of international relations and seen as global thought leaders … Because of this academic foundation, I’ve found success in every sector I worked in, from international NGOs to academia to the private sector to public service.
I credit my esteemed professors, particularly under the leadership of Dr. Regina Karp, for inspiring and stretching me to think differently. I will always be grateful for what I learned under Dr. Karp, Dr. Steve Yetiv, Dr. Mona Danner, Dr. Janet Bing, other GPIS professors, and the one and only Dr. Janet Katz in the Dean’s Office — and especially for their strategic vision and dedication to their students, including attending countless ±¬ÁÏ¹Ï Lady Monarch basketball games!