I interned with the Data and Innovation Team within the Finance Department at the City of Madison government this summer. I primarily worked on researching, creating, and maintaining COVID-19 response and recovery dashboards. The response dashboard focuses on showing what the city has been doing to respond to this health & economic crisis and where it can still potentially divert resources to address ongoing needs, and the recovery dashboard focuses on measuring as many aspects of the city's health as possible (this includes tracking pedestrian and traffic counts, number of public events, economic and health benefits recipients, rental and housing prices, unemployment, and much more). I learned to use a lot of new tools for data visualization as well as the process and decision-making necessary to tell meaningful and actionable stories from underlying datasets. The Data and Innovation Team additionally focuses on data management and governance to design structures and processes to collect and manage data. In this regard, I researched the elements and structures that would allow for the creation of a citywide data privacy policy. I also shepherded data through a pipeline of collection, structuring, cleaning, and analysis related to city staffing and local mental health support organizations.
This summer I served as the Wisconsin Administrative Data Core Project Assistant at the Institute for Research on Poverty. I worked under a grant provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a State Advisory Council to help maximize the Wisconsin Data Core’s utility, and develop and disseminate a roadmap as a guide to facilitate similar work in other states. My everyday tasks included conducting background research and literature reviews on topics related to the use of linked administrative data, data governance, and social policy research. I have also been conducting interviews with researchers and/or policymakers, participating in partner and stakeholder-facing communication, and preparing written and visual materials for various stakeholder groups. More recently I have been contributing to IRP publications and project website content and design. With COVID-19, my work shifted to working remotely from home, but throughout the summer my team had weekly meetings to discuss our progress and assess what kind of work needed to be done for the next meeting. Through working remotely, I have strengthened my ability to prioritize, multitask and work independently. Although the pandemic has shifted our timeline for the project, we still hope to engage with the secretaries of state agencies and convene at least one virtual meeting of the State Advisory Council this fall. In this position I have gained valuable experience working with state agencies and policymakers, poverty and social policy researchers, and learned about the use of linked administrative data. I learned to polish my verbal and written communication skills and ability to work with high level, professional stakeholders.
Over the summer I worked as the Development and Advocacy intern for the Headington Institute. The organization works to provide psychological care of humanitarian responders around the world. They do incredible work with those on the frontline of the pandemic as they care for the caregivers, and provide them with the resources they need to keep serving. Initially, I spent a lot of time learning about their mission, donor database, and policies surrounding the meaning work that they do. My work primary focused on prospect research for increasing their fundraising goals, identifying corporate partners and developing policy outlines, and working with the community partners. This was a very interesting time for the organization because of the pandemic and I was fortunate enough to be a part of conversations around sustainability and continued impact in the field. There were opportunities for me to engage in their diversity and inclusion initiatives, understand how structural changes within the organization effect decision-making, contribute to their annual brochure and other printed content, and discuss policy issues. Through my internship, I was able to develop my existing skillset when it comes to non-profit management with a new lens focused around healthcare, advocacy, and international development.
Through my internship with AARP, I have had the opportunity to immerse myself in social and aging policy at the local and state level. AARP is a large, national organization with many interns, but at the Wisconsin state office I was the only intern among a small team, allowing me to work closely with the state directors. Because AARP is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, I was able to work around the politics that often coincides with advocacy work. Due to 2020 being a contentious election year, I was able to work on drafting our messaging that is sent out to all the candidates running for local, state, and congressional offices. My internship was completed entirely remotely due to COVID, which let me gain rare experience teleworking. Communicating entirely digitally was a new experience for me, and one that I believe bolstered my own resourcefulness. One of the more meaningful skills I acquired during my internship was an increased intimacy with advocacy work and the processes regarding policy formation and implementation. I was able to work on a few advocacy campaigns and had the privilege to virtually “sit in” on a few of the Governor’s task force meetings. This allowed me to see more closely the inner workings of how policy solutions come together and learn how much collaboration is needed from many different groups.
This summer I worked as a system's change intern at the Center for Study of Social Policy (CSSP). My work primarily fell under four separate teams at CSSP: Youth Thrive; Expecting and Parenting Youth (EPY); Strengthening Families; and Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (EIJ). For Youth Thrive, I helped develop two practice tools designed to guide supervisors and caseworkers who work in youth-serving systems to better implement the Youth Thrive Framework (which centers around five protective and promotive factors that contribute to youth well-being). For the EPY team, I helped develop the materials for a Know Your Rights website designed to help expecting and parenting youth in NYC's foster care system navigate housing, health care, court, and other aspects of living and aging out of foster care as a young parent. For Strengthening Families, I helped develop a survey for state administrators to report on how their programs were implementing the Strengthening Families' framework into their state level practice. As part of the EIJ team, I helped draft and critique terms and definitions to be added to CSSP's Key Equity Terms & Concepts. The glossary was first developed as CSSP began its journey to become an anti-racist organization, in order to allow the staff to have a shared understanding of terms and language related to equity and anti-racism. Learning about CSSP's journey to be an anti-racist organization, and how that journey can inform my personal anti-racism journey, was another critical theme of my learning during this internship.
This summer, I interned at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. I participated in an international infrastructure development project. I helped the team with reading background reports and summarizing key information about the region, types of infrastructure, and parameters for decision making. I was able to use my policy analysis skill that I had acquired from PA 800 (Professional Development Workshop) and PA 873 (Introduction to Policy Analysis) courses. In addition, I researched different countries’ policies and plans for a sustainable recovery from COVID-19. I found that PA 880 (Microeconomic Policy Analysis) and PA 856 (Trade, Competition, and Governance in a Global Economy) courses were helpful for me to understand economic concepts and understand various economic measures. As PA 850 (International Governance) course introduced governance theories and various international organizations, it gave me guidance on where to start my research for sustainable recovery plans of international organizations. Apart from the course material, this internship had me witness the importance of evidence-based decision making. As I learned and experienced an assessment methodology that estimated economic, societal, and environmental risks, I realized that it would be one of the important skills for policy analysts. Meanwhile, this internship was held remotely due to the pandemic, but I believe it was a great opportunity for me to prepare for the new type of work environment.
I clerked at Applegate & Thorne- Thomsen, a law firm that specializes in affordable housing and urban renewal projects. While at Applegate, I read contracts awarded to our developer clients from HUD and IHDA, I made sure our clients were complying with federal and state affordable housing requirements, and I assisted in drafting documents between banks, developers, and multiple owners of affordable housing projects. In particular, I enjoyed analyzing administrative laws and regulations that had not yet taken into consideration the pressures that would be applied to the construction and housing industry in the midst of a global pandemic. Successfully advocating for my clients as an interest group meant I had to research the legislative history of certain regulations. Understanding that intent and how that intent translated into my clients favor when applied to more urgent and critical matters was some of the most difficult work I have done to date. While I found the work challenging, I was fortunate that Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen spent a fair amount of time providing legal education and training in the various state and federal affordable housing programs to support their summer law clerks' work. I went to short "lectures" on Title and Survey, New Market Tax Credits, Affordable Housing Advocacy, and Low Income Housing Tax Credits. I also had the opportunity to follow an attorney in a different department each week in order to understand the various interest groups and types of clients a law firm might have to take on in the affordable housing field.
This summer I interned at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO’s goal is to help improve the performance of Congress so its work focuses on auditing, evaluation, and investigative services. They issue fact-based, non-partisan reports to be used to evaluate government programs and save taxpayer dollars. I was assigned to an audit group in GAO’s physical infrastructure mission team that was investigating a federal mandate regarding an intermodal transportation issue. We audited two agencies, which allowed me to be involved in conversations and interviews with agency officials. I assisted in the report design phase, which included defining project objectives, scope, methodology, and limitations. In particular, my role was focused on conducting research and formal documentation of audit topic areas. These research areas included term definition, government agency roles, and stakeholder interactions. Relatedly, I also researched and drafted a selection criteria methodology to identify appropriate stakeholder entities in four main groups to conduct interviews. Additionally, I generated a concept plan for a graphic that addressed our first report objective. This allowed me to summarize the analysis I completed and translated our work into an illustration for the final report. GAO has a very supportive and collaborative working environment with constant learning opportunities. This experience instilled the importance of being detailed and methodical in order to provide the best and most accurate information. I really appreciated the opportunity to get an insight into GAO as an agency, in addition to their rigorous process and focus on quality.
During the summer of 2020, I interned at the Wisconsin Policy Forum, a nonpartisan policy research organization that provides informed analysis of critical policy issues affecting local governments, school districts, and the state of Wisconsin at large. Under the guidance of the Forum’s Research Director, I worked on a project that researched the status of higher education, including its structure, governance, financing, and footprint in Wisconsin, and offer forward looking recommendations to allow higher education to better meet Wisconsin’s needs. Through the course of the project I gained valuable policy research and writing skills. I worked on gathering, analysis, and visualization of both quantitative and qualitative data, and afterwards presenting the findings in the form of short (1 to 2 page) briefs and an extensive report, the final deliverable for the project. The internship trained me to my feet as a policy analyst and granted me a deeper appreciation for my Master of Public Affairs (MPA) degree. I am thankful to both the La Follette School for showing me how to utilize my internship to enhance my professional development and the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s team for being great mentors and the provision of such a fruitful learning experience.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Security Retirement and Disability Research Center is an applied research program which develops evidence that can assist policymakers, the public, and the media in understanding issues in Social Security, retirement, and disability policy, especially concerning economically vulnerable populations. Through my internship, I worked as a Project Assistant for Dr. J. Michael Collins to aid in the development of a report for the Social Security Administration on the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds disability insurance programs offered to state and local employees. The Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) administers Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) and other benefit programs for the over 640,0000 current and former Wisconsin public employees, retirees, and their beneficiaries working in state and local government. My work primarily centered around researching policy histories for each of the four disability insurance programs administered by ETF: income continuation insurance, duty disability insurance for protective occupation employees, long-term disability insurance, and disability retirement. Throughout the internship, I gained valuable experience in conducting a high volume of organized research and drafting memos to summarize the most influential characteristics of policy modifications. I was steeped in the intricacies of the administrative rule-making process and Wisconsin statutes, drawing on key concepts from Public Affairs courses including Public Management, Policy Analysis, and Policy-Making Process. I also gained experience in performing a comprehensive literature review concerning public employees, disability insurance, Social Security, and more. In the final stages of the internship, I was able to gain new competencies in bibliography and typesetting systems as we drafted the end report for submission to the Social Security Administration. Overall, the internship was such a valuable opportunity to hone skills in research, analysis, and writing and broad exposure to a wide array of topics including public employee benefits, disability, and the impact of social programs on employee financial security. An insight I would share with future remote interns is that it’s important to roll with the development of communication on a day-to-day basis and to be confident in asking the questions that you do come across. Remote work lends itself to a more independent workflow, so it's valuable to remember to reach out so you don't become an island.
The internship with the Tesomas Conservation Foundation primarily focused on nonprofit development. The organization is a small but emerging nonprofit which works with summer camps across the state to promote environmental education and sustainable conservation practices for their massive properties. I was chiefly focused on two tasks, the first was grant writing and project development and the second was based on drafting policies for many of these properties. The first project area of grant writing involved researching grants. Many of the grants that the organization is looking for are small local grants often focused on small, impact-based projects under $10,000. These grants often have a limited online presence making research more focused on government filings and local contacts to begin the grant making process. Once many of these grants have been found I began drafting several generic grant applications. These applications focused on three pending projects and contained several sections which can be easily molded to the needs and desires of different foundations in a sort of cookie cutter fashion. I also worked on drafting letters of introductions to these foundations so that if possible cold submission of grants can be avoided. The second project was working on policy drafting and conservation planning. Essentially, I was working on a massive sample conservation plan that can be molded into the needs of different properties. Many of these policies centered around a comprehensive conservation plan which provides guidance on land management, water quality, energy use, recycling, wildlife management, soil preservation, invasives, legal protections, and regulations relating to wetlands and endangered species.
I started working with Trans Law Help in September of 2019. During that fall, I became the only paid employee of the clinic and this past summer, I became their first Policy Intern. As a policy intern, I focused on data, research, resource, and policy-driven tasks. Working with the transgender community has been a focus of mine since I started doing policy work during my undergraduate degree. I am grateful that I was able to complete work that progressed me towards my goals and that I was accommodated to work remotely. Throughout this summer, I've made connections between my course work and my position with Trans Law Help. My internship has not only applied my education but my passion to work in the community. I connected my policy interests with attorney that work in different facets of law. I had the opportunity to be introduced to staffers in the Wisconsin Legislature. I look forward to my future work with Trans Law Help as Icontinue to grow with La Follette in the Fall.
My remote internship with ACG Analytics was a great experience and introduction into policy analysis and consulting. I served as a Policy Research Intern for ACGA, an independent research firm that translates public policy for investment fund managers and analysts. I attended remote congressional hearings and tracked relevant policy through the committee revision process, periodically providing memos and guidance to our clients affected by the proposed legislation. I also updated and maintained ACGA's proprietary client products including ACGA's Coronavirus Economic Distress Heatmap which ranks short term economic and default risk of 75 emerging and frontier markets. I worked with two fellow interns and our supervisor on many projects. By the end of the summer I was solely responsible for creating a weekly memo analyzing policy developments in select African countries that our client (a global telecommunications operator) was either doing business in or looking to expand into. Tracking political developments in countries around the world was some of the most interesting work I did with ACGA. Every country
While interning with the City of Janesville, I learned a great deal about the unique city council and city administration of Janesville, Wisconsin. My project focused on revamping the City Council Orientation Packet to make it a more valuable document for the Council. The project began with researching Wisconsin municipalities including Madison, Neenah, Black Earth, and Oconomowoc as well as municipalities from Oregon, California, and Iowa. This research allowed for a better understanding of what other municipalities thought was important to include for their council members. Then, interviews were conducted with current, and willing, City Council Members in order to gain information on their views of the orientation packet. This allowed for meaningful changes to be made to the layout and usability of the orientation packet. Similarly, the interviews helped determine if components I saw in other municipalities packets would be beneficial for members of Janesville’s City Council. The project required me to familiarize myself with various statues, regulations and laws regarding meetings and the sharing of information. This internship encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone to accomplish tasks that involved computer programs that are widely used for Council Meetings. With this experience I was able to hone my memorandum writing skills, interviewing techniques and confidence working closely with government personnel. I was also able to use what I learned through my course work to help my home community.
At One City Schools my internship experience involved the transition of fundraising software. The elementary school at One City is a charter school that relies on private fundraising for financial support. For my internship I took numerous online classes to learn the fundraising software Raiser's Edge. The school changed fundraising software services in an attempt to better connect their fundraising numbers with their accountants data. After many hours and the completion of my software training, I spent time logging in donations for the school and sending thank you letters to donors. I also processed recurring donations and learned how to compile different reports on fundraising data. While the vast majority of my time was spent on the transition of fundraising software, I was still a part of the school's organization. I participated in all staff Zoom calls and attended virtual board meetings to learn about the school's policy process and to better understand policy issues relating to the school's operations. My experience at One City Schools was rewarding as I learned about the inner workings of a school's organization and watched how an organization adapts to adversity in real time. As One City prepares to reopen for the fall, I look forward to continuing my work and helping the school in the future. I believe One City can be a model for education especially during the COVID-19 pandemic as they work to close the achievement gap.
From April through August of 2020, I have been working remotely as a Casework Assistant in the Office of Governor Evers' Department of Constituent Services. The majority of my time in the Governor's office has been spent handling unemployment cases during this Pandemic. Using Intranet Quorum, I have been communicating with thousands of Wisconsinites as they attempt to receive unemployment benefits and other forms of assistance. In addition to communicating with the constituents, I also help coordinate referrals and responses from various state agencies as they work to address pressing needs while the constituents wait for their unemployment benefits. I listen to constituents tell their stories and speak with them about possible programs they might be eligible for. I then send their cases to various state agencies and track the progress of their cases by speaking with both agency liaisons and with the constituents themselves. I also serve as an advocate for constituents within the office as I compile quotes and stories that illustrate issues felt by people throughout the state. I share these stories and suggestions with my supervisors who compile these into a weekly round-up for senior staff. This experience has been extraordinarily draining emotionally at certain times, but I have also noticed personal growth in terms of patience and empathy. This internship has also allowed me ample time for self-reflection through which I have refined my own ideals for what government can and should be.
The Borgen Project is a non-profit organization based out of Seattle that helps redirect US foreign aid to bills that are new to Congress and have goals of helping eliminate poverty and hunger globally. The Borgen Project’s main focus is to gain support from various House and Senate members to the bills they attempt to push through Congress. This is done in several steps. Interns are educated on the bills themselves, the way the House and Senate work, the best way to get leader’s attention, and various other things to create a good foundation. Then interns are tasked with creating swarms, getting members of the community to call or email their leaders in support of specific bills, in hopes of getting these bills on their agendas. Interns then create meeting requests for their Representative and Senators in hopes that they will therefore be able to have a conversation regarding their support. Interns are also asked to raise money in support of the non-profit. A personalized website is created to direct funding to and interns write letters to friends, family, and community members asking for contributions. Interns are also encouraged to do fundraising outside of this like car washes, trivia nights, or creating a ‘run for a cause’. Social media is also a very important part of this internship. It’s important that interns help spread awareness of the cause and a big way of doing this is through online platforms.City of Madison
Institute for Research of Poverty
Headington Institute
AARP
Center for the Study of Social Policy
The International Institute for Sustainable Development
Applegate and Thorne-Thomsen
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Wisconsin Policy Forum
The Center for Financial Security at UW Madison
Tesomas Conservation Foundation
Trans Law Help Wisconsin
American Continental Group Analytics
has their own political institution intricacies and I was able to translate these developments in context for our clients with financial interest in these regions. This internship and the company combined two areas of my career interest: policy and investment management. Given that 2020 is a presidential election year, I can only see the need for policy and political analysis for investment managers increasing. A new administration could completely shift investor sentiment and managers need the proper guidance to adjust their positions.City of Janesville
One City Schools
Office of Governor Evers
The Borgen Project
Internship Summaries 2020