Panel Discussion Featuring:
AmeriCorps Members and Peace Corps Volunteers


Are you looking for meaningful work after you graduate?
Learn about AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps at one event!


May 8, 2019
4:00 - 6:00 P.M.
Viking Union Room 552



Additional information will be added when available


AmeriCorps Panelists

  • Marcus Ramirez, Recruitment Manager, West Region, City Year
    AmeriCorps Alum of Washington Campus Compact & Washington Service Corps (served at UW's Pipeline Project)
    Marcus Ramirez was born and raised in the Seattle area. He is currently a Recruitment Manager for City Year, based out of the Seattle/King County office. He previously was with Seattle Art Museum as the Education & Public Programs Coordinator, supporting community engagement & partnerships, in addition to creating community-centered arts programming and experiences with local community organizations and artists. Prior to SAM, Marcus served two terms through AmeriCorps programs (Washington Campus Compact & Washington Service Corps) at the University of Washington's Pipeline Project, a K-12 outreach program that connects undergraduates to Seattle-area tutoring & mentoring opportunities. He graduated from the University of Washington in 2012 with a Bachelor’s in Art History & Economics.


  • Rebecca Vigoren, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader, Skagit County
    Rebecca is currently serving her second term with AmeriCorps. Her first term was as a Team Leader for NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). This was a 10 month direct service position based out of Denver, CO. Rebecca is a graduate of Brigham Young University-Hawaii where she studied Conflict Resolution and Anthropology.


  • Alan Alatorre-Barajas, Washington Campus Compact
    This is Alan's second year serving in the AmeriCorps College Access Corps program. Simultaneously, he is working on working on his Adult and Higher Education MEd. Through his master's program, he hopes to gain knowledge that improves relationships between adults and children. Alan hopes to create resources in both Spanish and English. Alan is a fanatic of crafts, languages, stories, and long walks.


  • Richard Vacirca, Fisheries Program Manager, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest


  • Naomi Siegel, Program Coordinator at Opportunity Council, AmeriCorps VISTA
    Naomi has been working at the Opportunity Council for 6 years and has been co-coordinating the AmeriCorps VISTA project since last September. Opportunity Council sponsors 11 VISTAs each year that are placed within their agency and other partner agencies throughout Whatcom and Island Counties. Naomi enjoys supporting the VISTAs in growing personally and professionally during their often profoundly influential year of service.

Peace Corps Panelists

  • Susan Anderson - I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer with my husband, Jim, in Lesotho (1979-1982), where I taught science and trained primary school teachers. I also worked on Peace Corps staff as a recruiter; director of the Seattle area office covering WA, OR, ID and AK; and as the Peace Corps director in St. Vincent and Grenada in the Caribbean. After working for the Peace Corps, I worked as a career counselor at Western Washington University where I advised students for seventeen years.


  • Forrest Copeland - Forrest Copeland served as a public health volunteer in Abi Adi, a town in northern Ethiopia, from 2012 to 2014. In 2015, Forrest extended his service to become the Volunteer Leader for Communications and Outreach in Addis Ababa where he worked to promote the work of Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff around the country.


  • Alyssa Moy - Most recently, Alyssa was Peace Corps/Nicaragua’s Program Manager for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and currently works in the Overseas Programming and Training Support division at headquarters. She’s a three-time Education Peace Corps Volunteer: Paraguay (1999-2001), Peace Corps Response in El Salvador (2008-09) and Liberia (2009). She also worked at headquarters in the Third Goal division under World Wise Schools (2010-11).


  • Zachary Pontrantolfi - After being evacuated from Sierra Leone during training, Zachary became an education volunteer in Tanzania, 2015-2017. He completed his service as a Form V Physics Teacher at Tosamaganga Secondary School in the Southern Highlands.