Hometown
Madison, Wisconsin
Undergraduate Education
Bachelor’s degrees in community and nonprofit leadership, and international studies; certificates in public policy, Chicano/Latino studies, development economics, and leadership, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Professional/research interests
Labor policy, economic and political inequality
Achievements
2022 National Truman Scholarship Finalist, 2022 UW–Madison Newman Civic Fellow
Expected graduation date
May 2024
Why the La Follette School?
I first heard about La Follette from a roommate of mine who was in the accelerated program. Hearing her talk about her experience learning more about the human impact of policy as well as the benefit of being able to obtain an MPA with just one additional year post-undergrad were huge draws for me.
Career goals
After graduating from La Follette I would love to have the opportunity to work full time as a labor organizer in a grassroots setting.
How has the La Follette School set you on the path to meeting your career goals?
La Follette courses have helped me immensely in developing my critical thinking skills. With the help of La Follette classes I have built a strong foundation upon which I can use quantitative and qualitative analysis to understand and convey the flaws and benefits of policies both as they are written and in their real-life effects on working people.
Internship
Last summer I worked as a legislative intern in Representative Pocan’s Washington, D.C. office. I was mainly responsible for addressing constituent concerns whether it be through mail, phone, or email. Throughout the summer I was also able to attend many Congressional briefings and help legislative staff with labor policy research as well as the administrative work of the Congressional Labor Caucus.
During the summer I was tasked with researching federal policy as it related to working conditions and labor rights for incarcerated people inside both state and federal correctional facilities. My research culminated in a report on possible federal policy solutions to recognize the rights of incarcerated people as workers, which I presented to senior staff.
What experiences and skills helped you get the internship?
Persistence. I applied to intern in Representative Pocan’s office four times before I was accepted. In the meantime, I honed my interests, networked, and gained more experience in the public sector.