Jennifer Rudolf, of Boulder, Colorado departs for Thailand - Six Americans left on May 25 to to help victims of December's tsunami in South East Asia
Peace Corps' Second Crisis Corps Team to Depart for Thailand
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 25, 2005 – Bringing a wealth of experience from occupations that include the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., to a public relations and media account specialist, six Americans will depart on Wednesday, May 25 to travel to Thailand as Crisis Corps volunteers.
The second Crisis Corps Thai team includes volunteers working in the fields of carpentry to youth activities. All will be putting their career skills to use to help the survivors rebuild and focus on the future. Specifically, three carpentry volunteers will work to build furniture for citizens in the displaced persons camps, as well as provide construction training for camp residents and other volunteers. One small business development volunteer will work with tsunami survivors to find markets to sell their goods and handicrafts, as well as teach small business training. A volunteer camp project advisor will help to coordinate volunteer projects through the Tsunami Volunteers organization, working in the displaced persons camps. One youth activities volunteer will work in a displaced persons camp to provide youth recreational activities in sports, art and crafts, and music — to help youth deal with the tragedy and also to provide positive activities to focus their energy. And, in June, a water systems engineer will depart to facilitate and oversee engineers and local authorities as they construct and maintain a water system to bring clean water to residents.
Jennifer Rudolf, of Boulder, Colorado is a member of the second Crisis Corps Thai team. Rudolf first served in Thailand from 1995 to 1997, where she taught English as a foreign language in a rural secondary school. In the Crisis Corps’ efforts, Rudolf, 35, will now work as a Small Business Development volunteer. Rudolf will work with displaced villagers to develop new ideas and methods of marketing their existing products. She will help to find markets locally and nationally, to distribute the handicrafts made by the tsunami survivors. In addition, she will provide small business development training.
Since completing her first Peace Corps tour in 1997, Rudolf has worked in the field of public relations. Currently, Rudolph is the account manager at the Fresh Ideas Group in Boulder, Colo., where she handles numerous accounts and is responsible for strategic planning and crisis communication. She also volunteers with P3: People, Plant, Profit – Colorado Businesses for Social Responsibility. Rudolf received her bachelor's degree in American Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
More than 550 returned Peace Corps volunteers have taken the opportunity to use their invaluable skills and experience to address ongoing community needs in over 30 different countries since Crisis Corps’ inception in 1996. Crisis Corps volunteers work on short term projects, utilizing the skills they learned as Peace Corps volunteers and in post service careers. To find out more about the Peace Corps' Crisis Corps program, please visit the Crisis Corps page.
