Betsy Vegso

Betsy has directed the Projects for Peace global program since 2021.

Betsy was lucky enough to spend almost three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jordan, in a village known for figs and olives. While there she shared many great meals with her neighbors, collaborated on a couple of community projects, learned a lot about the joys and challenges of intercultural exchange, and taught 10th grade English at the local girl’s school. Subsequently she worked for about 15 years as a Peace Corps staff member in several countries across Eastern Europe and Asia; her role was to prepare volunteers and host communities to work with one another. She helped open or reopen Peace Corps programs in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Montenegro, and Vietnam. She also worked in the Washington DC office of the agency, where she was Chief of Programming and Training for the Europe, Mediterranean and Asia region.

Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Betsy was Associate Director at Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center, a volunteer-based organization in the San Francisco Bay area that provides mediation and facilitation services and promotes civic engagement. She taught English in Prague and a suburb of Milan, and taught undergraduate courses in communication and conflict in Philadelphia and a suburb of San Francisco. Betsy has a BA in English, an MA in Communication, focusing on interpersonal and organizational conflict, and an Ed.S degree in international education. She is originally from Buffalo, NY.