Our Vision 愿景

Improve upon and ensure the continuity of the essential, people-to-people relationship between China and the United States through cross-cultural exchange and dialogue.

 

通过中美文化交流和对话,增进和确保两国人民基本关系的连续性.

Our Mission 宗旨

To preserve the legacy of Peace Corps China; to promote a sense of community among Peace Corps China alumni*; to foster a better, more nuanced understanding of China in the United States; and to build a climate of mutual understanding between the people of the United States and People’s Republic of China.
 

保存中国和平队的历史; 倡导历任中国和平队队员的社区意识, 促进美国社会对中国更好更细致的了解,并在中美两国人民间建立起相互理解的氛围.

Our Goals 目标

  • To be an alumni network for Returned Peace Corps China Volunteers
  • To maintain a partnership with the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA)
  • To host annual and/or biannual cultural exchanges between the American and Chinese peoples
  • To provide mentoring services to former students of Peace Corps China Volunteers
  • To host virtual and in-person events promoting a more nuanced understanding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its bilateral relationship with the United States
  • To create a history and/or documentary about Peace Corps China to preserve its legacy

     

  • 成为归国和平队中国志愿者校友网络
  • 与国家和平队协会（NPCA）保持合作伙伴关系
  • 举办一年一度和/或两年一次的中美两国人民文化交流活动
  • 为前和平队中国志愿者学员提供辅导服务
  • 举办虚拟和现场活动，促进对中华人民共和国（PRC）及其与美国双边关系的更细致的了解
  • 创作一部有关中国和平队的历史和/或纪录片，以保护其遗产

Meet the Board 委員會

Ben Deese

Provisional President and Acting National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) Liaison
临时会长和代理和平队总部联络员

Ben taught oral English at Mianyang Teachers’ College from 2016 to 2018 while serving the United States in Sichuan, China, as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He is passionate about public service and actively works to mentor his former students as they explore how proficiency in a second language can help them achieve their personal and professional goals.
 
He holds a Master of Arts degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His interests include diplomacy, history, federal HR regulations, personal finance, and musical theatre.

Austin Frenes

Provisional Vice President & Acting Secretary
临时副会长和代理秘书

Austin Frenes served in Fuling, Chongqing, from 2019 to 2020 and was in the last cohort to serve in China. He currently lives in southern California and works for the federal government. He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and loves to travel and try new food in his free time.

Jordan Cannon

Provisional Treasurer
临时会计

Jordan Cannon was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kaili, Guizhou, from 2015 to 2017. He then attended the University of Michigan Law School and is now an associate in the National Security Practice Group at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Gregory Garrigues

Provisional Communications Director
临时媒体沟通总监

Greg served in the Peace Corps from 2013 to 2015 in China where he taught English to the students of Luzhou Medical College, acted as Primary Warden of the region, and began studying Mandarin Chinese. He joined the private sector after his close of service and is now an Asia Product Manager. Along with working with manufacturers throughout Asia, he also leads a Shanghai-based international dragon boat team and engages with other non-profit organizations. Greg currently resides in Shanghai.

Denesha Horn

Provisional People’s Republic of China (PRC) Liaison
临时中国和平队联络员

Denesha served from 2016 to 2018 in Tianshui, Gansu Province. She taught Oral English to students in the Tourism Department, which included majors such as Flight Attendant, Tourism Management, Hotel Management, and High-Speed Rail.
 
After returning from China, she moved back home to Austin, Texas. She now works at TikTok as an Operations Advisor in Trust & Safety. She’s also in charge of Volunteering & Donations efforts for the Austin office and hosts English-Chinese language and cultural exchanges for all global ByteDance employees. 

Jason McFarland

Provisional Membership Director
临时会员总监

Jason served in Guizhou at Zunyi Normal College from 2012 to 2014 where he taught Oral English and Listening. A mid-career Volunteer, he was part of the Trainee cohort at Sichuan Normal University. He started poetry and cooking clubs and received grants to update the English Café resource center and start the acapella group ‘Zing!’ Jason is obsessed with Guizhou food and is working on a book about it. He co-chaired Volunteers Serving Volunteers and was on the Rice Paper editorial team. Jason was a TEFL Technical Trainer during pre-service training for the 20th Peace Corps China cohort.

Vacant

Provisional National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) Liaison
临时和平队总部联络员

This officer is the main point of contact between the Peace Corps China Association and the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA). S/he should be subscribed to all NPCA communications and is responsible for sharing NPCA updates with group leadership, coordinating engagement by the group in NPCA activities and communicating questions/concerns with NPCA staff.

Vacant

Secretary
秘书

This officer should be the custodian of the paperwork related to the Peace Corps China Association. S/he should have copies of your legal documents (e.g., bylaws), goals, and other documents that describe the functions of the group. S/he should also keep records of meetings and decisions made by the group. Frequently, these duties are combined with the finance, membership, or communications functions.