NEW Peace Corps Country Director, Ms. Kury Cobham, arrives in Guyana today replacing outgoing Director Linda Arbogast.A release from the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown noted that Cobham has more than 15 years of international experience in programme design, management, citizen engagement, economic development and capacity building initiatives.

“She has worked for multi-lateral, non-governmental and community-based organisations and has expertise in developing, implementing, and monitoring multi-million dollar country portfolio,” the release stated.

It was further noted that Cobham’s past work experience includes stints with Family Health International, the World Bank, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1990–1994, first as an English Teacher in Equatorial Guinea, and later as a Teacher Trainer in Namibia.

She holds a BA in Spanish from Macalester College and an MA in International Affairs, Political and Economic Development from Columbia University.

The Peace Corps forms an important part of the U.S. Mission in Guyana. Peace Corps was first welcomed to Guyana in 1966 and served the development interests of the country until 1971. Again, in 1995, Peace Corps Volunteers returned to Guyana to work as community-based promoters in the sectors of health and education. On June 30, 2016, the Guyanese government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States Peace Corps to support ongoing activities concerning environmental protection and sustainable use and management of Guyana’s natural resources.