Internship Experiences

World Wildlife Fund – U.S. Government Relations

This semester I started interning with the United States Governmental Relations team of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). A large part of the work is tracking and analyzing Senate and House discussions and legislation on environmental policies and topics of interest to the WWF, including food and water security, foreign assistance, marine issues, and climate change, as well as USAID-specific topics. I have also been responsible for consolidating and disseminating a political appointee tracker on administration nominations. As a long-term project, I have been researching the incorporation of resilient infrastructures in the face of chronic inundation. I am particularly interested in the WWF’s work with USAID and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Click this link to view a memo sample that I wrote about the Mike Pompeo’s environmental record for the U.S. Government Relations staff: Pompeo Memo

IsraAID – Humanitarian Fellow

Last summer I had the opportunity to intern with IsraAID, an international non-governmental non-partisan humanitarian organization that provides disaster relief and psychosocial support for vulnerable populations around the world. As a humanitarian fellow, my role was to be involved in field work and advocacy. I was stationed in Berlin, where I assisted in art therapy programs for children living in refugee shelters, while also helping in administrative work, grant applications, advocacy, and event planning. In August, I helped organize an exhibition of the artwork of Afghani refugees who had participated in IsraAID programs and wanted to share their artwork and stories with the community. Through this experience, I gained an extensive knowledge of the political and social situation facing refugees in Germany, as well as the organization and structure of an INGO.

American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative

My very first internship was with the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), an organization that brought together my interest in law and international relations. I worked with the Strategic Initiatives department, which allowed me to interact with individuals focusing on various topics and regions. I primarily assisted with knowledge management, and developed a system to share information throughout the division called “Clearinghouse.” I helped with designing process charts, formatting, and editing. I also conducted research on ABA ROLI programs and MOUs and edited progress reports and internal process documents.