Spring 2022 - Graduate Students
Family Equality is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on advancing equality for LGBTQ families. While the organization is headquartered in New York and Washington D.C., the work of Family Equality is largely virtual, as staff were located around the U.S. Some of their program activities include resources for LGBTQ people looking to build families, legislative advocacy, and hosting a family week in Provincetown. My internship work was primarily focused on policy advocacy work, starting at the federal level and then I was switched to state policy. Some of my activites included policy analysis of federal legislation pertaining to LGBTQ families; writing issue briefs; tracking state bills; and attending meetings with other national LGBTQ stakeholders.
I work full-time as an education consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). My role was somewhat unique and bridged two kinds of positions: Grant specialist and training developer. Roughly 45% of my time was spent managing several state grants: 1) Designing applications, writing guidance for applicants, running competitive review processes, and providing budget and program support for awardees. The other 55% of my time was spent working on policy and professional development to support the Educator Effectiveness System, the state’s evaluation system for teachers and principals. This work involved leading teams of stakeholders in designing and delivering professional development for teachers and principals, creating and managing contracts and deliverables for regional partners, keynote presenters, and UW and UW System partners (who provided technical assistance and evaluation services). As I said in my paper, I have worked for DPI for nearly 10 years in roughly these same roles, but the last few years and the last year in particular have been extremely challenging for the agency and for public schooling in Wisconsin. The COVID-19 pandemic created extremely difficult challenges for our stakeholders in schools and districts, while the election of a new state superintendent presented opportunities and challenges for the agency’s new leadership and continuing staff. I have been paying particular attention to how new management has been working with staff to build trust and a shared vision over the last year, with mixed success.
From January through May of 2022, I worked with Wisconsin State Assemblyman Tip McGuire at the state capitol building. He represents Wisconsin’s 64th Assembly District, which lies between Kenosha and Racine. My duties entailed writing letters to constituents to update them on new legislation Representative McGuire created/endorsed, creating contact lists for his legislative aids, and doing data entry. I worked in his office at a desk most days, where I would be assigned weekly projects to submit to one of Representative McGuire’s two aids: Quinn or Dan. Most weeks, the assignments were constituent-based using Representative McGuire’s website to input constituent information to create a mailing list for updates on services provided by new legislation. However, I occasionally was assigned to write constituent letters to inform individuals from Representative McGuire’s district about new policy changes or potential bills to be passed. In addition to these tasks, on session days, I was sometimes sent to public hearings to take notes on public responses and, notably, to see which assembly-members attended to gauge their interest in the legislation being debated. From this experience, I gained a better understanding of the policy-making process and the political strategy involved in legislative action. Some of my biggest takeaways were that campaigns are the subtext of every bill. The number one question assembly-members asked were about how a policy would impact his or her constituents and, by extension, his or her numbers in the polls. I loved working for Representative McGuire because he was so involved and took time to ask for my opinion on every topic. To an outside observer, I doubt one would be able to tell that I was just an intern and not a full staffer based on the time he put into asking for my opinion. Spring 2022 - Undergraduate Students
Over the spring, I interned at Central Wisconsin Center, a state-run institution, under the Department of Health Services, here in Madison. I analyze the recent large changes to the structure of payment and pass-through systems within the state as a form of increasing pay for direct care workers in these complicated times. I gained a greater understanding to the process of which Medical Care Operations run and how impacted they are by Medicare and Medicaid-related policy changes. Central Wisconsin Center is long-term care facility but like many state agencies, is facing high vacancy rates and a heavy amount of required overtime, contributing to the burn out we are seeing many healthcare workers go through. I was able to expand on my work and have conversations with the Quality Improvement Coordinator, Resident Care Supervisors, and my Residential Care Technicians about the impact of stagnant wages, the loss of collective bargaining, and what the future holds for all of us in regards to healthcare policy decisions and reform. Healthcare is about more than just the absence of disease; Central Wisconsin Center gave me a better understanding of what having quality of life means and maintaining well-being for all. I learned that being a good communicator, having intellectual humility and the ability to overcome conflict, can make you someone that will always be looked for when it comes to making a positive work environment.
This spring, I had the pleasure of assisting Covering Wisconsin, a non-profit organization based in Wisconsin that helps residents obtain health insurance and other health-related initiatives. Covering Wisconsin aims to assist individuals in obtaining health insurance, receiving prompt medical care, and navigating the healthcare system. I developed and implemented user testing methodologies on numerous projects during the semester. One project involved the creation of a web-based tool to assist people in understanding and obtaining information about insurance alternatives and related services. Our strategy and goals include health literacy, and one of the most important lessons I've learned from my internship is the need for communication. We were able to find pain spots and potential mismatches in our approach through these focus groups because of the two-way street that gave understanding and alignment. Overall, I had a great time at my internship, and it was an excellent way for me to get my feet wet in the world of health policy and non-profit work. Take chances in life, ask for support when needed, and lean into discomfort. Everything will go according to plan. You just have to believe it!
As a Technology Alliance Marketing Intern at Fortinet, I was the point of contact for 15 alliance partners. My responsibilities for this function of my role was to execute onboarding items, create co-marketing collateral, and assist with purchase requests. Additionally, I was asked to guide partners in technical product integrations by issuing product licenses and assisting with the application and installation of the licenses. Finally, as the point of contact for many new partners, I was in charge of (1) creating solution briefs for product integrations that are posted on the Tech Alliance webpage and (2) creating listings on partner marketplaces for technical integration details. Aside from being the point of contact, I was responsible for composing quarterly newsletters to be sent to over 500 partners around the world; newsletter content includes researched industry trends and corporate news, working with cross-functional teams to gather relevant information, and understanding new company product updates, events and finances. I also managed regular administrative work for my team such as, organizing important partner contracts, assets and information, and updating internal all-company websites. After the first quarter of my internship, I was asked to present on my completed and current projects via PowerPoint to the Fortinet C-level executives and other professionals at the company. My role as a Technology Alliance Intern has deeply developed my skills as a problem solver and technical thinker — the lessons I learned through this role are valuable for a number of reasons, but especially important in my eyes because they are skills that can be transferred to many different jobs and industries.
Throughout the spring semester of 2022, I interned at a company named Forward Health Group, or FHG. Forward Health Group is a health care software company that has created a number of programs that intend to pinpoint the most commonly distressing issues in our healthcare system. These programs have the ability to curate data to influence an organization’s patients, clinicians, and/or resources in the current era of value-based care. Here, I worked as the company's first ever Client Solutions Intern. This position entailed heavy research, data collection, and an infinite number of both inter-team and intra-team conversations. This internship has given me the opportunity to learn more about the intersection between healthcare policy and healthcare, while simultaneously gaining creative and independent skills in the workplace.
The Goodman Community Center is a non-profit organization that serves ages between 0-100 in numerous programming and resources to the Madison East-Side Area. The center models their “Goodman Six” values of Community, Equity, Integrity, Respect, Caring and Trust to its community and public representation. The GCC is committed to creating and maintaining a community that respects and values diverse life experiences. With this in mind, they are creating a new DEI Vision Statement and framework training that will further represent all the communities that they serve. The new framework will include an educational curriculum that will embody Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Inclusion and Belonging (DEAIB) I was asked to be a part of the (DEAIB) focus group committee to help with the new DEI Vision Statement and training. The DEAIB focus group task was to conduct interviews, surveys and ideas from all staff and community members to address and measure community engagement, expectations and potential harming outcomes. I was specifically asked to conduct interviews and co-host training for the older adult members and external stakeholders. After all interviews are assessed, the committee will be brought back together for final input and fine tuning for the upcoming school year. This new vision statement will embody all existing values with the inclusion of DEAIB to help communicate to their audience what Goodman is all about. The DEI vision statement will enable new clarity and further expansion of its existing vision and values portion to their key audiences.
I interned at the Healthcare Anchor Network, which is a nonprofit and members-based organization that seeks to address root causes of unhealthy communities by convening health systems nationwide to share strategies and practices around how to leverage their institutional assets, including hiring, purchasing, and investments. As their research intern, my main responsibilities included developing case studies around how health systems are implementing an anchor mission and how they are incorporating place-based investments as well as inclusive/local hiring and purchasing into their anchor mission strategies. In order to do this, I conducted research amongst these different ideas and interviewed health systems with the goal of sharing findings with other members of our organization. One example of the way that major policy ideas came into my work was in helping health systems adopt more inclusive and local practices. For instance, I explained to the group of health systems that signed onto the inclusive/local hiring commitment how ‘Ban the Box’ is one way to ensure that local community members who have recently reentered society may be great talent for a system’s workforce. My internship provided me with critical writing skills that offered real-world practice in synthesizing research and interviews and producing readable, digestible material that people without any background knowledge on the subject could understand. I had the opportunity to work with people across the nation who came from diverse backgrounds and diverse environments, but all who emphasize that racism is a public health crisis.
The Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health (MATCH) group, is a program within the Population Health Institute and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. MATCH develops and deploys programs and resources and engages in collaborative partnerships that support strategic community-driven efforts to ensure that all people have a fair chance to be healthy in their homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. MATCH aims to change practice, focus priorities, and shift power to support shared action on root causes of health and equity. MATCH and UWPHI work on projects and products that support and inform state-wide and national decision-makers on population health, centering health, and racial equity. I worked on a national grant supporting the work of Community Health Workers across the nation. The ENVISION Equity Training and Technical Assistance Center is composed of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Community Health Worker allies who work together with financial and administrative support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to elevate the role of CHWs. Envision supports the CDC recipient organizations and the CHWs they’ve partnered with to address COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR). Developed for CHWs by CHWs, the four-year project will encompass the CHW movement as a whole and will train and support CHWs, concentrating on capacity-building and the sustainability of a strong, capable CHW workforce.
Although having been a part of the Nehemiah family for a short period of time, I have acquired an immense amount of knowledge on social issues and how to become a key player in making Madison a more equitable place. I think some of my most impactful experiences were being able to work under such great minds as Karen Reece, Harry Hawkins, Jacquelyn Hunt, and Lindsey Johnson. Through my work at this company, I was able to create informative newsletters and infographics to be used as a way to advance the media appeal of the Families Overcoming Struggles to Encourage Restoration(F.O.S.T.E.R) organization, as well as Affirming Black Girlhood(ABG). In these projects, I not only addressed upcoming events but also touched on some alarming issues. For example, through the lectures I got to listen to by the panelists and guest speakers of Justified Anger, I was able to design a variety of infographics about pressing topics ranging from African American history and how it is neglected in today’s society, to the suppression of Black female voices, as well as the school to prison pipeline and how America’s youth are still being segregated. Every one of the assignments I have been tasked with provided me with a different learning experience and deepened my understanding of the importance of progressive black and white relations in the Dane County Area. One of the most enjoyable parts about being an intern here at Nehemiah is the workplace environment and how intellectual, understanding, and open all of the team members are. When I was given the opportunity to work at this black-led organization I was extremely elated because of all the positive work they have done in the Dane County community. When reflecting on my first day at Nehemiah until now I can truly say that I am grateful for the chance to have contributed to fulfilling their vision of reinventing a stronger Madison for all through the emphasis of African-American encouragement and support.
Since August 2021, I have served as a Finance Intern for one of the most critical battleground Gubernatorial reelection campaigns. As an intern in Governor Evers campaign my primary responsibilities in this position area to monitor voter outreach, prospect for donors and organize and execute campaign events. Staffing campaign events start weeks before the event with the outreach that the interns conduct and raising money for the campaign. This data management is pulled from national and state level government databases, which is then analyzed and sorted into excel sheets. From here the finance interns create donor profiles and conduct extensive research on individuals donor history. All this work is used for the campaign to bring in some of the most important donors and supporters for the governor's campaign. Dealing with multiple tasks pertaining to individual information I must maintain sound judgment and the highest level of discretion. As one of the longest serving interns I am oftentimes a resource for other interns. As a notable swing state, Wisconsin attracts supporters and critics from all across the country. Our phone shift is a time for individuals to call in and give opinions, donate and have questions answered. This section of the internship program can be the most daunting to interns. I must stay poised and respectful on the phone at all times because I am representing both the Governor as well as myself. Working in public service can be one of the most difficult and emotionally draining jobs, however, the work is for the greater good. Working in this sector has evolved my analytical and customer service skills as well as giving me an insight on the political field of a swing state. I have a new understanding of the difficulties of politics and how the work behind the curtain drives what goes on in the public view.
This semester I had the opportunity to conduct a program evaluation of a student volunteer health coaching program that takes place at Wingra Family Medical Center. I worked closely with Dr. Jonas Lee, a resident physician at the clinic. The program evaluation was conducted to better how the health coaching program could improve to better support the patient population served. Over the course of the semester, I was able to directly apply skills learned from my public policy courses, especially from PA 380: Analytic Tools for Public Policy. It was a super valuable experience to be able to follow through with courses in the certificate and produce a project that showcases what I have learned. Additionally, I found out more on how Access Community Health Centers operate, especially as a Federally Qualified Health Center. Lastly, I really enjoyed the internship course that coincided with this experience. It was super helpful to have a space to share what each student was working on and receive guidance from one another.
I was hired by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) as Communications Specialist with the Office of the Secretary in Spring 2022. The department is in charge of an astounding number of programs and public services and provides the logistical support and personnel management for all other state agencies. It is a key component of the state budgeting process, advising the Governor and other departments on budget submissions and analyzing data related to efficiency and equity in distribution of funds. If you are interested in public economics or the nitty gritty of the actual implementation of policy, this is where you want to be. I had the unique opportunity to participate in the messaging of the rollout of several COVID recovery programs as a part of Badger Bounceback, Wisconsin’s investment of CARES and ARPA funds. One of my roles was to compile all press releases, news coverage, and social media posts made each week regarding the DOA and create a communications newsletter that was distributed across the department. I also wrote policy summaries and got testimonies from grant recipients about how the programs had impacted their lives. During the course of my internship, I was able to use and improve my excel skills to help automate some tasks that were being done manually. It was really rewarding to know that my contribution was going to continue to improve their work even after I was gone.
During the Spring Semester of 2022, I worked as an intern in the Office of Wisconsin State Representative Don Vruwink. As an intern, my primary responsibilities were to respond to constituents who contacted the office regarding recent legislation, personal opinions, etc. Responding to constituents took place via email or letters in which I sometimes had to research many issues relating to current legislation in response to these constituents. I also composed various newsroom posts that highlighted recent events in the office, Capitol, and/or district in which Rep Don Vruwink represents to be sent out to constituents via email. When the Assembly was in session and Rep Vruwink had special guests to be honored in front of the full Assembly, I would assist in guiding them to the Assembly Chambers. Throughout this experience, I learned about the behind-the-scenes inner workings of government. I now feel more educated when it comes to politics and legislative-making. Knowing simply how a bill gets passed, what control of the legislature means for the minority party, and how to campaign are very valuable intel I’ve gained working in this position. This internship served as a valuable experience for me as I learned how to deal with difficult people. Not everyone is satisfied with Rep Vruwink or our government so knowing how to frame certain perceptions to at least garner some satisfaction is a vital skill in any environment. This experience was the perfect opportunity for me to learn more about state politics and gain experience in the field of policy.
In the spring semester, I worked as an intern in the office of State Senator Alberta Darling at the Wisconsin State Capitol. My main responsibility was to respond to constituents that reached out to our office with their questions, concerns, or support for legislative issues. Through drafting responses to them, I was able to learn about a large variety of topics including health, crime, education, and the environment. For responding to some of these issues I was able to use my previous knowledge from public policy courses when drafting responses, but for other issues I was able to expand my knowledge about the topic through conducting research and reading about the specific legislation. I was also able to gain knowledge by asking my coworkers questions about certain bills or what the Senator’s stance was on a general topic. Through this internship, I was able to learn more about the legislative process and about the day-to-day functions of a legislative office. It has been a great learning experience to learn about the different roles that each member of the Senator’s staff have and about what responsibilities come with each role. This internship was a valuable experience because it allowed me to have an inside view of how Wisconsin’s government functions that I would not have otherwise been exposed to. Going forward, I will take what I’ve learned from this internship to inform my future career decisions.
I work as a legislative intern in State Senator Brad Pfaff’s office. Getting to work in the Capital building has been an incredible experience as there is always something happening. Whether the Assembly is in session or there’s a group of 4th graders touring, I always find myself in awe of the building and the people working diligently in it. Working in the legislature has given me a deeper understanding of how state government works as well as a greater respect for policymakers. It’s been fascinating to learn how they work to serve their constituents while collaborating with other representatives. As a legislative intern, I’ve learned that no two days in the office are the same. When the Senate was still in session, I got to sit in on committee hearings and watch policymaking unfold from the Senate gallery. In addition, I’ve done research on everything from organic contaminants in drinking water to dog training legislation. This research then got passed on to my coworkers and was used to prepare them for meetings with the Senator or constituents. Finally, I was responsible for constituent contacts and had the great privilege of writing many letters to the residents of the 32nd district. As I am not from Wisconsin, this has been a great opportunity to learn more about the state. I often read local newspapers which allowed me to better understand the problems facing our local communities. I have really appreciated realizing that although we may have different backgrounds, there are many similarities between me and our constituents.
I was an intern for State Senator Joan Ballweg of the 14th Senate District during the Spring 2022 semester. Senator Ballweg was previously a member of the Assembly from 2004 to 2020, and then she started working in the Senate in 2021. I interned in the office twice a week. My work in Senator Ballweg’s office consisted of answering phone calls and emails from constituents, sending “Saw You in the News” notes to constituents and working on various projects for the Senator, many of which included writing letters on behalf of Senator Ballweg to mail to constituents. These letters were typically congratulatory, informative or worked to address a constituent’s concern. It is helpful for interns to have strong communication skills and attention to detail to succeed in the legislative environment, as our work represents the Senator. This internship opportunity helped me get outside my comfort zone in talking to constituents and finding ways to organize research findings. I would highly recommend this internship to gain experience working in an ever-changing environment where critical thinking and creativity are key. This opportunity helped me to gain insight to the workings of our state government and was helpful for me as I look forward to my future career.Family Equity
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
Wisconsin State Assemblyman Tip McGuire
Central Wisconsin Center
Covering Wisconsin
Fortinet
Forward Health Group
Goodman Community Center
Healthcare Anchor Network
Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health (MATCH)
Nehemiah Center
Tony Evers for Wisconsin Reelection Campaign
Wingra Family Medical Center
Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA)
Wisconsin State Representative Don Vruwink
Wisconsin State Senator Alberta Darling
Wisconsin State Senator Brad Pfaff
Wisconsin State Senator Joan Ballweg