Dec. 11, 2025

#18 - Leah Petit

Show Notes
Transcript

As a Peace Corps volunteer and then as a public health specialist, including with USAID, Leah Petit has seen firsthand the impact of global health programs. Not only in lives saved--full stop--but in global stability and security. And when she saw these programs being dismantled and former colleagues' motives questioned, she took action, starting 'Global Development Interrupted,' a podcast and Substack platform that documents the lives and work of those affected when US foreign assistance was cut, and, tragically, the suffering around the world that is becoming impossible to ignore. It is a project we strongly believe in.

Leah Petit, MPH is a strategist and program manager with more than 18 years of experience leading complex, mission-driven initiatives that strengthen systems, partnerships, and community resilience. She began her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in northern Cameroon, an experience that shaped her commitment to locally led development and community health. Later, at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), she advanced digital health systems, capacity strengthening, and knowledge management across its global offices. As a Senior Advisor in USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS, she helped shape national and local strategies to sustain health and governance outcomes—overseeing multimillion-dollar programs, cross-sector partnerships, and organizational learning efforts.

Today, Leah is the founder and host of Global Development Interrupted, a podcast and Substack platform that documents the people behind U.S. foreign assistance—and what happened when it was cut. Through storytelling, she highlights the public servants and partners whose work once strengthened democracy, stability, and health worldwide, while exploring what their loss means for communities at home and abroad. Leah holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Oregon.