Leah Passauer

When I was just six-years-old, she was a Peace Corps volunteer serving in Thailand. Her stories of living in a different culture and working to make a positive impact sparked an interest in me at a young age. I was determined to follow in her footsteps.

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That dream became a reality when I became a Peace Corps Volunteer myself, serving in China. That experience solidified my passion for international development work, particularly in education. Since then, I’ve worked for various nonprofits focused on improving access to quality education around the world.

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Today, I get to continue the mission through my role at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. As a Senior Program Officer, I lead our education project in Belize and assist with our initiatives in Kosovo. One of the best aspects of my role is collaborating with various stakeholders to ensure project alignment with local community needs. 

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One of the highlights for me is when I have the chance to meet our partners in the countries where we work. These in-person meetings are often when people feel most comfortable sharing their concerns or expressing excitement about different aspects of our projects. Building relationships is essential to establish strong connections which in turn allow us to do our work most effectively.

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In my off time, you can usually find me gardening, paddleboarding, cooking, reading, or training for my tenth marathon this fall! Grandma Kinder truly sparked a lifelong passion for service and I am so grateful.