The Harris Wofford Award
For tens of thousands of members of the Peace Corps community, Harris Llewellyn Wofford will always be remembered and revered for his iconic work as one of the architects of the Peace Corps, and his vigorous lifelong commitment to volunteerism and service above self. His legacy lives on through NPCA’s Harris Wofford Award for Global Leadership.
The Global Citizen Award recognizes an outstanding global leader from a country where Peace Corps Volunteers served, whose life was influenced by the Peace Corps, and whose career contributed significantly to their nation and the world in ways that reflect shared values in human dignity and economic, social, and political development. This highly competitive award is the highest honor bestowed upon a global leader by NPCA.
NPCA is proud to announce the 2025 Wofford Winner, Lucy Aquino of Paraguay. As a renowned environmentalist and the founder of World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) in Paraguay, Lucy has achieved incredible results in her efforts against deforestation, including the Zero Deforestation Law. In addition to the Wofford Award, her work has earned multiple other international awards, including recognition from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
With 18 years of experience, Lucy has published over 20 works on Paraguay’s biodiversity and led the first biological inventory of the country (1980-1988). We are delighted to announce that Lucy will speak at NPCA’s Peace Corps Connect Conference this July in Washington, DC!
The Global Citizen Award is particularly fitting for Lucy, whose career began as a student at the National University of Asunción, where she worked alongside Peace Corps Volunteers. Within two years, Lucy became the principal mentor for cohorts of Peace Corps Volunteers from 1983 through the 1990s, a time when the National Museum project was fully institutionalized. Many of these Peace Corps Volunteers, mentored by Lucy, went on to pursue their own careers in science and conservation.
Lucy emerged as a leader both nationally and globally in the fight against illegal wildlife trade in Paraguay. This was a complex and truly dangerous endeavor. There were moments when Lucy faced threats and attempts to undermine her efforts. She had to protect herself, her family, and her staff. Yet, despite these challenges, Lucy’s accomplishments in conservation are among the highest in Latin America. She successfully thwarted embedded systems of corruption, all while enlisting both Paraguayan and international law enforcement agencies to help control wildlife trafficking.
At the same time, Lucy laid the groundwork for the sustainable use of wildlife in Paraguay, positioning the country at the intersection of conservation and sustainable development. It’s hard to imagine anyone else being able to achieve what Lucy has done.
Please join us at Peace Corps Connect (July 19-20) at American University in Washington, DC to meet and hear from this inspirational and deserving member of our global family.
Cynthia Capurso (Madagascar 2019–20) is program coordinator at the National Peace Corps Association.
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