“I am eager to join the AFS Youth Assembly to foster cross-collaboration, critical thinking, policy guidance and formulate new practices that contribute to further the Youth, Peace & Security Global Agenda.”
Rachel Palermo is a program specialist for youth, peace and security at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Prior to joining USIP, Rachel managed the membership of a global coalition working to positively engage religious and traditional actors, including women and youth, in peacebuilding processes. Rachel is passionate about supporting and enabling grassroots and youth led peacebuilding initiatives. As a student, Rachel co-founded a youth led organization to foster dialogue among students of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds in Southwest Virginia. Rachel has three years of experience in the peacebuilding field and over five years of experience in youth empowerment and leadership development. She holds Bachelor’s Degrees in International Studies and Spanish as well as a Master’s degree in Political Science from Virginia Tech, where she was awarded a scholarship to participate in an international research exchange program at T.U. Darmstadt in Germany.