Careers in Peacebuilding Talk Story Series

"Peace Corps Service in Ukraine 2010-2020"

with Caroline Mackenzie, Rachel Savereux , and moderated by José Barzola

Explore the journey into the profession.

The Story

Join us to learn about Caroline Mackenzie’s Peace Corps service in Ukraine from 2012 to 2020 and Rachel Savereux service from 2010-2012. Caroline will speak about the training, health care, security, her assignments, living arrangements, and her region of service that was stolen by the rise of Putin’s regime. Caroline joined the Peace Corps at the age of 62. She was sent to serve in Eastern Ukraine, in the City of Lugansk. She learned the Russian and Ukrainian languages. After Peace Corps Service, Ms. Mackenzie moved to O’ahu and is currently the president of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Hawai’i organization.

About Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Hawai'i

The Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Hawai’i (RPCVHI) are dedicated to continuing the spirit of Peace Corps. We volunteer our skills and knowledge, endeavoring to make a difference through community service. We share our rich cross-cultural experience to communicate positive imagery of people, cultures and countries. We gather to serve, have fun, and enjoy our shared experience. RPCVHI accomplishes its mission through volunteer events, social functions, education, advocacy and networking. Learn more about the RPCVHI at https://www.rpcvhi.org/.

About Caroline Mackenzie

Caroline Lord Mackenzie, retiree and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), holds a BA in Social work from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Caroline was born in Illinois, and has lived in Pennsylvania, Italy, Rhode Island, Florida, California, Singapore, Belgium, Ukraine, and now, Hawaii. She has been fortunate to travel extensively to Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Southeast Asia, India, and Western and Eastern Europe. Since Caroline has lived overseas and all around the USA, her work resume is rather diverse from Tennis coach in Italy, U.S. State Department. dependent hire in Singapore, shoe company representative in Belgium, small business owner in San Diego, and federal cancer center grant writer at the Moores Cancer Center in San Diego and also at the City of Hope in Pasadena. Caroline joined the Peace Corps at the age of 62. She was sent to serve in Eastern Ukraine, in the City of Lugansk. She learned the Russian and Ukrainian languages. After Peace Corps Service, Ms. Mackenzie moved to O’ahu and is currently the president of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Hawai’i organization.

About Rachel Savereux

Rachel Savereux was a Youth Development Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine 2010-2012. During her time in Ukraine, she worked at her Rayon's (County's) Center for Social Services and worked alongside fellow Ukrainian social workers. Rachel implemented after school programs such as a film club, worked with disabled youth in starting an art therapy program. Finally, she wrote and received a PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief) grant that supported the educating of 35 health teachers in the Oblast (State) in how to be qualified facilitators of HIV/AIDS curriculum for their students. Rachel's experience in Ukraine was unique in that she was accepted into a close knit group of childhood friends and remains in contact weekly with both her social worker colleagues and as well as close friends who are still living there today. Rachel is originally from the Seattle area. She has her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Social Work and is working towards receiving her clinical license this winter.

About José Barzola

José Barzola has a passion for creating social change through nonviolence, nurturing relationships that transcend cultural barriers, and focusing on issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity. He is a highly organized higher education administrator with 20 years of experience and success in administration, student development within academic and student affairs. José has also been an affiliate faculty teaching courses on peace and conflict resolution, a professional mediator and facilitator for 10 years both in New York and Hawaii. He is currently the Educational Specialist and Affiliate Faculty at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa,

Co-Sponsors:

• Matsunaga Institute for Peace
• Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Hawai'i