Katie Nagib is originally from Pennsylvania, but has lived all over the States including New Mexico, Montana, and Colorado. She served as an Agricultural Extension Agent in Peace Corps Ghana, from 2023-2025, helping improve sustainable food and water in her community. She will be working towards her Masters in Geography and Environmental Systems while partnering with Friends of Patterson Park as their Outreach Coordinator.

Emily DeMarinis grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania but have spent the last few years between Florida and Arizona. She recently concluded her Peace Corps service in Guyana, where she worked as a primary literacy promoter and developed girls’ leadership camps and clubs. At UMBC, Emily will be studying Public Policy and partnering with Baltimore City Hall to work on policy issues impacting District 1 residents.

Megan Hamilton returns to Baltimore, her long-time home, after almost a decade of international service that began as a community and organizational development volunteer with the Peace Corps in Shkodër, Albania. She served in Kingston, Jamaica and just left Mombasa, Kenya where she grew addiction recovery support. She is excited to be studying for a Masters of Professional Studies in Community Leadership while serving with Southwest Emergency Services (SWES) in Arbutus.

Eliss Mañon is joining us from Downtown Baltimore but is originally from New York City. She served in the Peace Corps in Peru where she was a youth development volunteer. Eliss will be studying for a Masters of Social Work and serving with The Choice Program at UMBC.

Keaton Green is coming directly from his Peace Corps service in Benin, West Africa as a Sustainability and Agriculture volunteer. Keaton is pursuing a Masters in Geography and Environmental Systems. His placement is with Healthy Neighborhoods Inc. where he’ll work on community development and outreach within the neighborhoods of Baltimore.

Colleen Coyle is joining us from Minneapolis, MN. She served as a Youth-in-Development volunteer with the Peace Corps in Guatemala. She will be pursuing her Masters of Social Work and  serving with the HIPPY program in Cherry Hill.

Kaylee Haskell is originally from Vermont but has spent the last 10 years in Central Florida. She recently completed her service as a response volunteer in South Africa, where she assisted high school students in the Northern Cape province as a Career Guidance Counselor. Prior to this, Kaylee served as an Agriculture Extension volunteer in Ghana (2020) and a Community Health volunteer in Maryland in partnership with FEMA during the pandemic (2021). As a Peaceworker Fellow, Kaylee will be working as a writing tutor at UMBC’s English Language Institute while working towards her MA in Intercultural Communication.

Akinyi Merab Victoria joins us as a global Peaceworker Fellow. She is a visionary African leader, visual artist, and social entrepreneur from Uganda, dedicated to community empowerment through the arts. She is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Streetlights Uganda, an NGO that uses visual arts as a tool for creating a better future for street-connected children. Through her work, Akinyi plays a crucial role in identifying, nurturing, and developing the talents and abilities of vulnerable children, providing them with the skills and opportunities needed to transform their lives. She will study for a Masters in Community Leadership at UMBC and work at the Center for Global Engagement to bring international delegations to UMBC, including the Young African Leaders Institute, which she participated in at UMBC in our inaugural year hosting the program in 2023.

Ashley Flateland is originally from Fox Island, Washington. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, she worked as a Youth and HIV/AIDS Capacity Building Volunteer in Botswana from 2012-2015. She will be getting her Masters in Public Health with concentration in Population and Community Health. At Walden’s Circle, she will be designing and implementing a health-oriented after-school youth program. She is both excited and grateful for the opportunity.

Ashley Ramos was born and raised in Southern California. She moved to Washington, D.C. four years ago for a new change of pace and growth opportunities. Ashley was a Community Health Improvement Program volunteer at Peace Corps in Zambia, where she educated host country nationals on malaria prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, and child and maternal childhood nutrition. She will be studying for her Masters In Social Work and working with the Choice program. She is excited for this new endeavor and can’t wait to see what’s in store for her!

Zara Pollack is joining us from the Pacific Northwest, specifically Spokane, Washington. She was a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Volunteer in Peace Corps Guatemala from 2017-2019. She will be studying for her Masters of Social Work at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and serving with the Commodore John Rodgers Elementary-Middle School. Zara enjoys a good cup of coffee, genuine connections and is excited to be part of this vibrant community.