Steve Thrush leads AFS-USA’s core hosting operations and is responsible for oversight, strategic priorities, and operational implementation of AFS-USA’s hosted student admissions, field hosting placement, hosting administration and travel operations. Prior to his appointment to this role in December 2022, Steve served as AFS-USA’s Senior Director of Strategic Operations where he led a variety of initiatives aimed at streamlining and improving AFS-USA’s hosting operations.
Before joining AFS-USA, Steve worked as Head of Operations at Restless Development Tanzania, a youth-led development agency that brings together young people to work toward solving development challenges, placing them at the forefront of change and development in their communities. During his tenure, he oversaw administration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Restless Development Tanzania’s grant portfolio and provided thought leadership in the consultative development of the organization’s five-year strategic plan.
Steve’s commitment to empowering young people through intercultural experience and education began early in his career when he served both as a as a Peace Corps Education Volunteer in Ghana and as a high school educator in New York.
Steve holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and an M.Ed. from Columbia University, Teachers College.
