Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps and Global Narcotics Affairs, released the following statement today after the President announced his nomination of Aaron Williams, Vice President for International Business Development with RTI International, to be the Director of the Peace Corps.  Dodd, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, who served in the Dominican Republic, recently introduced the Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009, which would combine a reform with growth strategy in order to achieve the goal of doubling the size of a reformed, streamlined and more effective Peace Corps.

“I am excited by Mr. Williams’ nomination to be the new Director of the Peace Corps,” said Dodd. “It’s exciting to have a nominee who served in the Peace Corps and also has experience in international development and management. I look forward to discussing the urgent need for broad based reform at the Peace Corps with Mr. Williams at his confirmation hearing and to working with the Obama Administration to strengthen and expand the Peace Corps.”

Williams served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1967-1970. After completing his service, he became the Coordinator of Minority Recruitment and Project Evaluation Officer for the Peace Corps in Chicago for a year. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Peace Corps Association. 

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