����vlog����

Sebastian Agignoae MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Visiting Graduate Student

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Working remotely in Boston

What did you work on?

Building on my Policy Analysis Exercise at ����vlog����, I worked with the at the Broad Institute to develop a global strategy to educate communities on the importance of participatory digital health tools and encourage broad uptake of mobile applications for outbreak mitigation and response. Concurrently, I have been co-authoring an infectious disease outbreak science textbook and studying outbreak culture and the behaviors that emerged among responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What was challenging?

COVID-19 has forced policymakers to consider radical changes to the architecture for international cooperation. The collateral damage of the pandemic is evidence that the global community is still not prepared for another infectious disease outbreak; tens of millions have been infected, and the economic fallout is incalculable. Finding one’s place in an already noisy ecosystem, let alone a pandemic, has been challenging—but not impossible. It just requires patience and focus.

What was surprising?

We are at the advent of digital health technology, where technology holds great promise in making an invisible threat visible. Yet, a critical gap persists between companies developing digital health tools and the communities they are meant to serve. By leveraging the digital age and closing the digital divide, while the next infectious disease outbreak may not be prevented, the next pandemic can.

What was fun?

The opportunity to work with a cutting-edge genomic research institute this summer was the chance to explore strategy, public health, and social impact, and relate it to my fields of science, technology, and international policy, positing the most challenging, but necessary questions. Synthesizing qualitative and quantitative insights to produce solution-building strategies in a pandemic with the Sabeti Lab and its partnering institutions was nothing short of inspiring.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

My work experience this summer prepared me to contribute to healthcare policy issues at the forefront of infectious disease outbreaks, global affordability and access, and participatory digital health technology. I intend to build on my experience of humanizing technology to ultimately serve the public interest—enabling the global community to see sooner and faster when it comes to public health and infectious disease threats.

Austin Batson MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Dukakis Fellow, Michael S. Dukakis Governors’ Summer Fellowship (through Harvard Kennedy School)

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

On site in Salt Lake City, Utah

What did you work on?

My work this summer touched on so many different facets of Utah public education. My three main projects involved mapping Utah's education data landscape, identifying strategies to increase educator diversity, and evaluating the strengths of weaknesses of state-level school governance. In addition to those projects, I worked with a cross-governmental team on demystifying Utah's school funding formulas and potential strategies for property tax equalization. As a member of the governor's team, I often served as a coordinator between agencies with statutory authority.

In pursuit of these goals, I attended statewide superintendent conferences, visited Utah institutes of higher education, hosted small stakeholder meetings with the governor and lieutenant governor, planned how to use federal COVID-19 relief funding, worked with state legislators and fiscal analysts, and so much more.

What was challenging?

The most challenging aspect was wrapping my head around the enormity of the scale of state government and more specifically public education. While logically I knew that state governments are actively involved with so many aspects of daily life, I never understood what it meant to plan, implement, evaluate, and revise the spectrum of programs and agencies. Understanding and overcoming institutional inertia was one of my biggest challenges.

My first few weeks were spent understanding how different agencies, committees, organizations, and people were connected. The middle weeks were spent reframing my mindset from one nearly overwhelmed by the scale of change to a mindset that saw the number of lives that could be improved by widescale changes. I spent my final weeks ensuring that my time and efforts were able to overcome institutional inertia and not merely suggestions left on a shelf.

What was surprising?

The most surprising aspect was the amount of cooperation necessary between different agencies, individuals, and stakeholders to achieve meaningful change. Before this summer, I understood that no one person nor agency could implement change alone, but I failed to understand how deeply that cooperation needed to occur.

For example, I was working with a team from the state board of education, legislative analysts, and the governor's staff on school funding formulas. To calculate the annual budget for public education, all three organizations needed to agree on a huge list of numbers and calculations. While it was certainly possible for each to come to the table with their own different calculations, the group instead worked together from the beginning to ensure that each was on the same page.

The other aspect that surprised me was how often the important questions were unanswerable, at least on the spot. I never thought of this as a negative or a failing of the team, but as evidence of the uncertainty of change.

What was fun?

I loved meeting so many passionate people involved in Utah public education! In my 10 weeks, I never once met a single person who was ambivalent about their role or job. Everyone was passionate about ensuring that students have the best opportunities.

Less formally, a group of interns and fellows was having a small group gathering at the governor's mansion to have a sit down with the governor. After our conversation, the group moved outside for a photo and half the group, including the governor, accidentally ended up locked outside the mansion for several minutes. It provided a great opportunity to try to find creative ways to get security's attention.

Outside of work, I greatly enjoyed being so close to amazing places to hike and camp! While in Salt Lake, I went to four National Parks and on countless hikes. Being able to drive 30 minutes and climb 5,000 feet was an incredibly unique perk of living in Salt Lake!

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am looking forward to attending classes on campus for the first time! It will be exciting to run into people spontaneously and continue conversations after class. I'm looking forward to seeing what campus looks like when it's full of people and activities. I've never seen the forum full of people, and I think it will be such a great change!

Arielle Exner MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer?

The , working with the Santa Ana Pueblo outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

What was your title?

Harvard Project American Indian Economic Development Fellow

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

The fellowship was conducted remotely, with the exception of one week I spent on site in New Mexico!

What did you work on?

This summer, I conducted a historical review of American Indian federal policies and reports dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. I then created a comprehensive presentation of my findings to the Santa Ana Pueblo council. From this work, I also outlined a proposal of the main issue areas to include in the next federal report on American Indian conditions, with the hopes that this proposal will be submitted to U.S. Secretary of Interior, Deb Haaland, the first Native American woman to serve as a Cabinet secretary.

What was challenging?

The history of Native America is one of genocide, discrimination, and tragedy. It is also incredibly complex and has been erased intentionally. While the weight of this history can be undoubtedly felt, I have come to understand that it is also a story of impeccable resilience and strength. Tribal languages, cultures, and communities live on. It is imperative that we use policy to uplift them.

What was surprising?

How little Native American issues are discussed in public discourse and even within the realm of policy today. Following the Black Lives Matter protests of last summer, the rights of Indigenous people were certainly mentioned under the broader notion of racial justice, but there is much more work to be done. I hope to continue to explore and bring Native American issues to the forefront during my time at ����vlog���� and beyond.

What was fun?

I had the opportunity to visit the tribal lands of the Santa Ana Pueblo for one week this summer. Touring sacred land and meeting the tribal council brought my work to life. I also went horseback riding for the very first time on the reservation where they filmed Breaking Bad and the latest season of The Bachelorette!

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

At the risk of sounding cheesy, walking down the hallways and sitting in the classroom with my ����vlog���� professors and peers. The COVID-19 pandemic opened my eyes even further to what an incredible opportunity having access to this community is, and I simply cannot wait to continue to learn from one another and build even stronger connections in person.

Brian Feldman MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Public Affairs Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely. I flew out to Phoenix but was primarily based in Boston.

What did you work on?

I worked on Waymo's Public Affairs team, which is helping to grow positive public sentiment and trust around autonomously driven vehicles (ADVs). The team builds partnerships with organizations dedicated to road safety and road access, fosters community advocacy, and continues to educate the public about ADVs through its online public education initiative, .

While my projects are confidential, I worked on a variety of initiatives this summer—from launching a nationwide survey with a third-party polling firm to increasing the visibility of to cultivating relationships with third-party nonprofit groups.

What was challenging?

The pace! It was incredible to spend this summer at the bleeding edge of new transportation technology, but it was also hard to keep up on everything happening! One of my coworkers said it best: time moves in dog years at Waymo—every day is more like one month.

So, while it felt like a whirlwind at times getting up to speed on ADV acronyms, legislative and regulatory developments, and new product features, that was all part of the fun. It was incredible to have to zig and zag every day, and to do so all in service of ushering in a safer and more inclusive form of mobility.

What was surprising?

Learning just how far ADVs have come since their debut back in 2004 at the . Then, the vehicles had trouble sensing objects and were jerky and clunky. Now, they are incredibly smooth, safe, and reliable. Point in fact: Waymo has been safely running an autonomous ride-hailing service in Phoenix for the past few years. It's so inspiring to see a technology out in public that will help significantly reduce the 36,000 road deaths that occur in the United States every year and make transportation more accessible to those who are unable to drive.

Additionally, the incredible amount of responsibility I was given! Waymo has this amazing culture where interns are integrated into the company from day one—and get to work on real, challenging, and fascinating problems. I couldn't have asked for a more growth-filled summer experience that stretched me in ways I couldn't have imagined.

What was fun?

There are too many things to say, but one of the most memorable experiences was when I was able to fly out to Phoenix to participate in a three-day video shoot and ride-along with a few of Waymo's partner organizations, such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. It was incredible to help behind the scenes and listen to stories from leaders in the accessibility and social justice fields—as well as hear their reflections on how ADVs could help advance their missions.

Afterward, I got the chance to participate in a ride-along and experience my first Waymo ride in Phoenix! While it was an adjustment getting into a car with no human driver behind the wheel, it was an incredible experience—the ride felt no different than a human driver! (One of my favorite features was how the car ever so slightly 'crept' forward when driving out of a parking lot, just like a human driver would do.)

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I'm really excited to get back to ����vlog���� and continue exploring my interests at the intersection of technology and transportation. ADVs offer an incredible opportunity to reimagine mobility in our country, empower individuals with disabilities to experience the freedom and independence of driving, and reduce the number of deaths due to vehicle crashes worldwide, which total 1.35 million deaths annually. My experience this summer motivated me to continue helping to usher in the incredible societal benefits that ADVs offer.

This interest wouldn't have been possible without ����vlog����; my curiosity about ADVs was first nurtured when I enrolled in Professor Mark Fagan's , where I was able to learn more about the industry. I'm also very thankful to Professor Dan Levy, whose Statistics core course gave me the confidence to design a representative and statistically significant survey this summer.

Lastly, I'm looking forward to rejoining ����vlog����'s incredible community. ����vlog���� offers this one-of-a-kind environment to explore new ideas and reflect on their implications—whether ethical or political—with a group of highly passionate and encouraging peers and faculty. I've missed the thrum of energy I feel every time I walk through the doors of Wexner. And with my experience this summer, I hope to continue exchanging stories with my peers, learning from their experiences and interests, while we all help to build a safer, more just, and more prosperous society.

Tessa Holtzman MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Legislative and Policy Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

On site in Washington, DC

What did you work on?

I worked on so much at Senator Heinrich’s office this summer! It was all-hands-on-deck as the U.S. Senate tried to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a reconciliation package. This summer I helped draft text, tracked amendments, made recommendations on legislation the senator is considering supporting, and conducted research on a range of policy issues. I also had the opportunity to get really involved in the appropriations process in June. One of my favorite projects was writing a legislative memo to the senator recommending he co-sponsor the . This legislation would provide funding and research to reduce maternal mortality and end racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes. I not only read most of the almost 200-page bill, but also analyzed the impact it would have on New Mexico, the senator’s state (and my home state). The senator took my recommendation and signed on as a cosponsor!

What was challenging?

The Senate moves fast and covers a lot of different topics. In just one day I might analyze reimbursement rates for childcare development block grants, brainstorm legislative text for a bill on outdoor recreation, and sit in on a briefing on the FDA’s approval process for COVID-19 vaccines. As a Legislative and Policy Intern, it was my role to support the senator’s legislative staffers, no matter what issue area they needed help with. It was challenging, but exciting, to have to quickly become an expert on a range of different topics.

What was surprising?

Senator Heinrich’s office is somewhat unique because there is an economic development team that focuses on helping constituents secure federal funding to help solve community programs. It was surprising to me that the senator’s Washington, DC office is focused not only on helping the state big picture, through federal legislation, but also is focused on small-scale change that is equally important to the state's development and progress. It was a great experience to be involved in helping specific communities in New Mexico strengthen their economy. One project I helped with this summer was researching future grant opportunities for potential zero-carbon aviation projects.

What was fun?

I was raised in New Mexico and lived there for over 18 years, so I am very passionate about helping the state continue to develop and thrive. It was an incredible experience to be able to apply a lot of the policy skills I learned during my first year at ����vlog����, from memo writing to delivering a concise brief to coming up with policy options, while helping my home community. 

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I’m excited to be a course assistant for a few of my favorite classes from last year, take some interesting electives, and tackle my Policy Analysis Exercise. I loved being in Washington, DC for a few months but I’m excited to come back to campus and hear about all of the incredible experiences my classmates had this summer!

Amanda Jaffe MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Dukakis Fellow, Michael S. Dukakis Governors’ Summer Fellowship (through Harvard Kennedy School)

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

On site in Jefferson City, Missouri

What did you work working on?

I worked on the creation of the state’s new . Previously, programs for children in Missouri were operated under three different agencies but will now be overseen by a single department. Enhancing early childhood education is a priority of the governor, and this reorganization will help streamline services and improve outcomes.

What was challenging?

It was challenging to bring different stakeholders together under a single department with new expectations and responsibilities. However, everyone shared the same goal to improve programs for children. The work was a good exercise in executing the leadership and change management I have learned about at ����vlog����!

What was surprising?

It was surprising to learn about the wide impact the governor has on creating programs and setting policy in the state. While the agencies manage the programs and the legislature passes the laws, the governor’s office helps direct changes to achieve long-term goals for the state. I can see myself working on policy from this strategic lens as my future career!

What was fun?

It was fun to be with the Missouri government during the state’s bicentennial year. I was able to participate in all the celebrations, including a parade on Statehood Day, and even received a special challenge coin to mark the occasion from the governor!

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am looking forward to being back in Cambridge with my classmates and hearing about their summer experiences. I am excited to finally be on campus with them!

Sarah Lin MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer? 

What was your title?

Graduate Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely

What did you work on?

This summer, I designed and directed the Asian American Commission (AAC)’s AAPI Women in Politics and Public Service initiative. The initiative consisted of a two-part event series and social media campaign that highlighted the experiences, challenges, and accomplishments of AAPI women in public service across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The first event of the series, AAC Commissioners and Public Service Pathways: A Seminar for Young AAPI Women, featured several AAC commissioners who offered reflections on their varied experiences as community organizers, elected officials, appointees, and more. The commissioners also shared their top advice for young AAPI women and engaged directly with participants in a question-and-answer session.

The second event of the series, Asian American Women Trailblazers in Local Politics, highlighted the voices of women who have broken historic barriers in their careers in Massachusetts local politics. Panelists included Lisa Wong (first AAPI woman mayor in Massachusetts), Mehreen Butt (first Muslim American woman elected to a select board in the state), Vira Cage (first Lao American to run for state representative in Massachusetts), and Vivian Nguyen (ran for Everett City Council at age 19). These trailblazers came together for an important discussion on their experience as Asian American women “firsts,” the future of AAPI women’s political representation, and the significance of local politics in effecting change.

Finally, the social media campaign highlighted key insights and infographics on the state of AAPI women’s political representation in national, state, and local politics. The content for this campaign was drawn from my research throughout the summer on AAPI women in elected office. I’ve parsed through data and statistics that depict the current realities, barriers, and areas of progress for AAPI women elected officials across the country. I then compiled these findings in infographic reports (graphically designed by the AAC’s Marketing Coordinator, Sheila Vo) that present the urgent need for greater gender and racial equality among the elected leaders who represent diverse communities across the United States. I am excited to share these resources so that our audience can also read key quotes from AAPI women politicians in Massachusetts and review topline recommendations for increasing AAPI women representation. 

In addition to my focus on the AAPI Women in Politics and Public Service special project, I collaborated with the Chair of the AAC’s Subcommittee on Government Relations, Advocacy, and Civil Rights on advancing the AAC’s legislative priorities for the year and creating resources that illuminate how proposed pieces of legislation can impact the AAPI community.

I am grateful for the mentorship of Danielle Kim, who serves on the AAC’s Executive Committee and chairs the Government Relations Subcommittee, as well as the supervision of Yasmin Padamsee Forbes MC/MPA 2008 who is a former director of the ����vlog���� Alumni Board.

This internship directly contributed to my professional development and growth, in large part due to Danielle’s regular feedback on my work products and coaching conversations around short-term and long-term career goals, as well as Yasmin’s familiarity with the ����vlog���� education and invitations to join her for virtual events and briefings.

I am also deeply grateful to have received summer funding from the Harvard Kennedy School’s and that enabled me to pursue this internship and project.

What was challenging?

While working on the , I had difficulty finding concrete data or numbers on AAPI women’s political representation at the local level in Massachusetts. I was able to feature direct quotes from Asian American women politicians who shared their perspectives on the state of women’s representation with me, but I hope that quantitative data can also be reported and tracked so that we can more precisely understand the current landscape for AAPI women in local politics.

What was surprising?

I wouldn’t say that it’s surprising, but my research this summer has only underscored the reality of AAPI women’s vast underrepresentation in elected offices across the country.

When AAPI women’s voices are more proportionately represented at policymaking tables, they give visibility to the needs of underserved communities and help ensure that federal, state, and local policies are more responsive to diverse constituencies. Simply put, increasing AAPI women’s political representation leads to a more inclusive, robust, and effective democracy. I hope to continue leading and advocating for that kind of reality.

What was fun?

It has been a joy to see young AAPI women engage with AAC commissioners during this event series and receive advice on finding a mentor, practicing self-care, and overcoming challenges associated with being a woman of color in the political arena. These are the types of communities I wish I had been exposed to growing up, and I value any opportunity where I can create more spaces for young AAPI women to hear from mentors in politics who are invested in their thriving.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

Being on campus with classmates, faculty, staff, and more after a year of remote school.

Akshay Marathe MPP 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Consulting Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

In-person in Portland, Maine

What did you work on?

I worked with Medicaid agencies in U.S. state governments on the policy framework that enables them to expand and improve services to eligible Medicaid members. My biggest project was to develop a state's spending plan and narrative for the state's share of President Biden's COVID-19 relief package. It involved organizing public forums to seek feedback from stakeholders on what their immediate needs are and working with state leadership to determine their priorities—and synthesizing the two inputs into a larger state plan.

What was challenging?

The challenging part of working as a Medicaid consultant is that federal regulations on the program are extremely specific and restrictive. Despite the diverse needs that states have, the process to change or evolve the use of federal funds for Medicaid at the state level is complex. It doesn't need just a keen interest in healthcare; it also needs an eye for regulatory language. In a previous life, I had earned a law degree in India, so that experience came in handy.

What was surprising?

I was surprised to learn just how much influence presidential administrations have on Medicaid programs in states. As an intern, I was able to see the changing attitudes of states toward the Feds as President Biden's Medicaid policies started getting implemented.

What was fun?

It was extremely rewarding to live in Maine over the summer. The state is truly Vacationland with some of the country's best beaches, outdoor hiking, and restaurants and bars.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am looking forward to taking courses that help me contextualize my work in healthcare over the summer! I was very pleased to have found work that allowed me to work on solving public problems, but for a consulting firm. The firm's focus on public sector clients made it possible for me to work on something I truly cared for. I am looking forward to learning more about such career opportunities in the fall.

Diana Ayoub MPA/ID / MIT Sloan MBA 2023

Where did you work this summer?

(OECD)

What was your title?

Policy and Research Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely from Texas, Puerto Rico, and West Virginia

What did you work on?

I contributed to the research and writing of the OECD’s Annual Africa Development Dynamics report. The report discusses the integration of African countries in the global value chain in response to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. As an intern, I conducted statistical analysis and wrote on trade facilitation, digital infrastructure, debt sustainability, cross-border informal trade, and strategic value chains mapping. It was very exciting to join experts’ meetings from across the continent through the drafting process.

What was challenging?

Apart from the obvious challenges that come with working remotely, the most challenging aspect was developing a positive narrative voice when writing as an African about African countries. While conducting the literature review, I came to realize how easy it is to fall into the single-story trap even in an academic setting. My supervisors were extremely helpful and guided me in recognizing policy opportunities and the ample success stories in the continent.

What was surprising?

I was surprised by the number of opportunities I was given to take ownership of my work and lead my team on multiple occasions. Before I started, I expected most of my work would be supporting authors but did not realize I was going to be given the opportunity to brainstorm and co-author such a significant part of the report. I was happy to see the team treated the interns as experts in their respective fields and expected us to fully contribute with original thoughts in our team meetings, even from our very first week.

What was fun?

While the nerd in me enjoyed the wide exposure to African policy, the most fun part was working with people who are genuinely passionate about advancing African economies. It was humbling to connect and hear about the diverse backgrounds of each of my team members.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am a concurrent degree student so in the fall I will be starting my MBA at MIT Sloan. I am excited to view the problems I learned about in my internship from a business and entrepreneurial perspective. Most importantly, I’m excited to have classes back in person and can't wait to attend all of the exciting on-campus events.

Varun Gupta MPA/ID 2021

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Summer Intern – Strategic Partnerships Division

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

My internship was with the Washington, DC office. However, I worked remotely this summer from San Diego, Cambridge, and Chicago!

What did you work on?

The Strategic Partnerships Division helps WFP foster partnerships with national governments and development actors such as the World Bank and the IMF. My work involved writing guidance notes for engaging with the IMF for WFP’s country offices, scoping potential engagement opportunities with World Bank projects at country-level, creating a document highlighting WFP’s work in the Sahel region and covering UN’s Food Systems pre-summit. I also drafted a proposal to the IMF that highlighted WFP’s work on safeguarding food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

What was challenging?

Working remotely. I am sure the experience would have been much enhanced if I could have met my supervisor, her colleagues, and fellow interns in person! The WFP is also a highly global organization with its headquarters in Rome, so navigating multiple time-zones for scheduling meetings and attending events was difficult.

Oh, and how could I forget my arch nemesis: tight deadlines.

What was surprising?

I was really amazed by the scale of WFP’s operations! They work across 80 countries, providing humanitarian relief, strengthening agriculture and food systems, setting up social protection systems, working on climate change resilience and more.

It was also surprising to see how many multilateral organizations working on very similar issues were not often in sync—and the amount of coordination it takes to get all actors to work synergistically.

What was fun?

I was new to the kind of work the WFP does, so I really enjoyed learning about food security and the challenges faced by food systems around the world. I also attended (virtually) the UN’s Food Systems pre-summit. This was an interesting experience and helped me understand the various organizations working in this domain and their respective roles and expertise.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am so looking forward to being back on campus! I have completed all my core courses, so I am excited about curating my course load this semester. I am particularly looking forward to Ricardo Hausmann’s Development Policy Strategy course and Kessely Hong’s Negotiating Across Differences course. I am also going to be teaching economics to Harvard undergraduate students. This is my first time—I am very excited and a tiny bit nervous!

Gina Joseph MPA/ID / MIT Sloan MBA 2023

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Summer Associate

Who was your supervisor?

Jane Von Rabenau MPA/ID 2019, Founder and CEO of Siklus

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Initially on site in the Jakarta, Indonesia office for a few weeks, but we went remote when the country went into lockdown. I stayed in Indonesia and worked remotely from there.

What did you work on?

I redid Siklus's financial model to reflect their new focus on mobile delivery and customer growth as the main revenue driver. I also conducted a cohort analysis to analyze the retention rate of customers through time, analyzed the order pattern history of customers by demographic, created an Excel model to calculate the amount of plastic saved and money saved for customers based on sales inputs, and created a deck detailing Siklus's five-year growth strategy for investors.

What was challenging?

It was challenging taking on such a variety of roles given that Siklus is a startup and everyone has to be ready and willing to do everything. No one is siloed into one role.

What was surprising?

I was surprised at how incredibly talented, humble, and fun my fellow colleagues were, especially given how young they all were!

What was fun?

It was really fun trying on different hats and utilizing different skillsets than I'm used to. I also loved how exciting it was for the team and myself when Siklus hit different milestones. I had never worked at such a fast-growing company before, so it was really amazing to see everything happening so quickly! It was also really cool that my work actually made a significant impact on the company's direction because at earlier stage companies, even the smallest projects can make such a big difference. Finally, it was so incredible to be able to contribute toward Siklus's mission to reduce plastic waste in Indonesia while saving money for low-income Indonesians.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I'm really looking forward to further developing some of the skills I tried out at my internship such as building a strong financial model and forecasting the revenue and other financials of a company. I'd also love to take classes in business strategy and competitive advantages to learn how to most efficiently grow companies like Siklus and carve out new markets.

Lavanya Kumar MPA/ID 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Short-Term Consultant

Who was your supervisor?

Diego Arias MPA/ID 2001, Lead Agriculture Economist

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely from Boston

What did you work on?

I researched how to reorient the existing agriculture and health policies to tackle unhealthy foods at a global level, especially in India. I also developed and wrote a case study to understand the long-term impacts of excessive consumption of processed sugars, calling for the need for such reorientation. My findings will help to reform and align agriculture and health policies in India in the areas of processed sugar and other unhealthy foods ingredients.

What was challenging?

Nutrition in India is measured in calories—sugar is considered an inexpensive and easy way to consume energy. In a country where hunger and malnutrition are still quite prevalent, it was challenging to drive points to policymakers and other key stakeholders the need to step away from policies that encourage empty calories and a rise in obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases from eating unhealthy foods, especially with refined sugar as a major ingredient. Agriculturally speaking, India is the second-largest sugar producer in the world; its economy is highly dependent on the sector.

What was surprising?

It was surprising to learn about the quantity of added sugars we eat in a day without even realizing it. There are so many foods perceived as healthy but contain high sugar levels and other preservatives. Fruit juices, for example, have a similar amount of added sugars as soda; however, fruit juices are considered a healthier alternative to soda, especially for children.

What was fun?

A fun part of doing a remote internship was the freedom and flexibility to travel and work from any location in the world!

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

With things hopefully returning to normalcy, I am really looking forward to an in-person ����vlog���� experience this fall. I am also quite excited about my Second Year Policy Analysis topic. 

Diego Lestani MPA/ID 2021 (Flex Option)

Where did you work this summer?

, a rapidly growing digital microfinance institution (MFI) in East Africa focused on serving micro-and small businesses (MSBs). Thanks to their proprietary technology and credit processes, they provide growth and working capital to verified MSBs, resulting in high portfolio yields and a high impact on our borrowers’ livelihoods.

Through the Numida mobile app, small business owners can apply for convenient and unsecured short-term business loans by digitally submitting evidence of business ownership and business activity. A proprietary due diligence process, combining machine validation and human review, allows a first lending decision to be made in less than 72 hours. The principal is disbursed digitally via mobile money. Their borrowers then begin reporting their daily financials (sales, expenses, stock purchases) while paying off their loan and tracking their next loan limit. Most subsequent loans are disbursed automatically.

What was your title?

Data Scientist

Who was your supervisor?

Catherine Denis MPA/ID 2014, Chief Operations Officer

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

I have been lucky enough to intern with Numida twice. In summer 2020, I worked remotely from Boston. And in summer 2021, I worked in-person from Kampala, Uganda. Even though I am part of the ����vlog���� Class of 2021, thanks to the “Flex Option” I decided to stay one extra semester at school and finish in December 2021 rather than May 2021. This allowed me to intern twice and be able to have the in-person experience.

What did you work on?

In summer 2020, I worked on a project with other two people at Numida, and we built a proprietary credit score to evaluate the credit risk of loan applicants. In summer 2021, I worked with the product team designing, executing, and evaluating an experiment to increase the company’s approval rate reducing some requisites in the usual due diligence process. The objective was to expand Numida’s portfolio and its impact on small businesses while keeping credit risk under control.

What was challenging?

The first internship presented the usual challenges of remote work. During my second internship, a lockdown was imposed in Kampala for some weeks, and I had to work from home during that period. Fortunately, I had enough time to have an in-person experience and we are more trained now on how to tackle volatile conditions that the COVID-19 pandemic imposed on our lives.

In terms of work, the nature of Numida’s unique business model imposed many challenges in assessing applicants’ default risk. It was challenging to balance the objective of financial inclusion while also making the business sustainable.

What was surprising?

I was impressed by the amount of vegetation in Uganda. Everywhere you look you see lots of green.

What was fun?

Ugandan people are friendly and laid back. I got the chance to meet them at the office and outside the office on a few occasions. I loved doing simple things such as grabbing my helmet and riding a boda boda (motorbike taxi) and seeing Kampala’s hills and valleys. I was lucky enough to travel around the country and was impressed by its beauty.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

My cohort was deeply affected by the pandemic. I hope the “Flex Option” gives us the opportunity to have one more semester of in-person classes, enjoy being on campus, and participate in exciting events that happen at the Forum.

Nico Maffey MPA/ID 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Professional Fellow

Who was your supervisor?

Sandy Naranjo MPA/ID 2014, CEO and Co-Founder

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely from home in Argentina

What did you work on?

My work with BetterGovs focused on understanding and designing solutions to the challenges that government leaders often face in implementing public policy.

In the MPA/ID Program, we are taught that for public policies to be successful, they must meet the essential trinity: be technically correct, administratively feasible, and politically supportable. While most public servants focus primarily on the first criterion, they often struggle with the last two. During my internship, I worked closely with the CEO on finding methods that government leaders can adopt to carry policy to fruition. As a former government employee, I realized that no matter the rank, we can be truly transformational in affecting change from within. I am honored that by empowering public sector leaders I got to assist governments around the world carry their policies to fruition. 

CEO Sandy Naranjo Bautista—who is MPA/ID 2014—also really trusted my vision on how to refine BetterGovs' vision and strategy. I have significant experience with startups and social enterprises, so I was able to work with her on identifying ways in which we could maximize our own impact; for instance, by improving our business model, expanding our network, and engaging with our target audience.

What was challenging?

BetterGovs's mission is unapologetically ambitious. Anyone with a basic understanding of how governments work knows that implementing public policy is incredibly complex and dependent on several—and often unpredictable—variables. For instance, when you think about a bill achieving its intended effect, you can't just worry about the technical aspects; bills are subject to political influences, outside and within the sponsoring party, they have to withstand the influence of lobbyists, and then even if they pass as intended, still have to be assigned adequate resources, implemented within a specific timeline, enforced by the right government structures, etc. I firmly believe the downstream aspects of policy implementation are the most challenging ones and that's exactly what we are trying to tackle with BetterGovs. 

Specifically in my experience, designing tools that can be impactful but realistic was very challenging. But I relied largely on the public sector leaders that I connected with thanks to BetterGovs to draw from their as well as my own experience to guide our work.

What was surprising?

It's shocking how few organizations exist to empower public sector leaders. When you think about it, we expect public sector leaders to navigate largely bureaucratic organizations, lacking resources, and usually for a less competitive compensation, without giving them any support. In the private sector, on the other hand, executives often have leadership training, coaching, mentorship resources, among others, and invariably are more motivated and supported to excel. It's unclear why most governments demand just as much if not more from their employees as the private sector, yet often fail to provide them with the necessary resources. With that gap in mind, I was surprised by how unique and original our work is. I couldn't really tell of an organization that is working on these same issues other than BetterGovs.

What was fun?

Despite being so young, Sandy, our CEO, is incredibly accomplished. She served as Vice-President and Minister of Tourism of Ecuador. Working directly with her was an incredible learning opportunity for me. I know that at some point I want to return to the public sector, and she gave me the trust and support that I needed to continue growing as a leader. Just hearing about her own personal experiences and how she got to where she is today has been fascinating.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am particularly interested in the challenges that governments face with regard to technology and digital transformation. We live in very exciting times with regard to technology, and how it is impacting our daily lives, from how we get educated, interact with the health system, pay for things, and communicate, among others. I think governments have tremendous power—and consequent responsibility—in shaping how new technologies impact citizens, so I hope to use my fall delving deeper into the private-public intersection in technology. Further, I am really excited about my own entrepreneurial experience, and hope to apply everything I learned this summer as I helped grow BetterGovs.

Matías Muñoz Arredondo MPA/ID 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Consultant

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

I worked remotely in Santiago, Chile.

What did you work on?

In this internship, I analyzed the macroeconomic and financial conditions of emerging economies, Chile especially, to determine how vulnerable these economies are in a scenario in which the Fed begins to normalize its monetary policy. 

I also participated in refining the Chilean Green Bonds Issuances Framework, Allocation Report and Environmental Impact Report. I researched international experience on thematic bonds from development economies and international corporations such as International Finance Corporation, IDB Invest, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development among others.

What was been challenging?

Chile is the first Latin American country to issue green bonds in international markets; the first green bond was issued in 2019. Given the challenges of climate change globally and the Chilean Ministry of Finance’s objectives to promote green projects to encourage international investment, it was challenging to develop improvement recommendations since thematic bonds research (green, social, and sustainable bonds) is relatively new; however, at the same time, the issuance of these bonds are on the rise. Not many countries have issued this type of bonds (for example, the United Kingdom entered this market this year).

What was surprising?

I was very surprised with the quality of financial economists working at the Ministry of Finance. I learned a lot from them.

What was fun?

It was fun to share experiences with the international finance team. I found complementarities when I talked about my work as a former central banker and listened their experiences working in fiscal policy. There’s no doubt knowing the basis of fiscal policy, sustainable economics, and monetary policy experiences are essential for the development future leaders in macroeconomics.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I look forward to learning more about sustainable finance and economics for development. These are challenging and interesting topics that I truly believe will become more important in the future.

Gopal Nadadur MPA/ID 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Intern, Industry Vertical and Economics & Finance Cell

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely, although I was able to spend a couple of weeks in the office in New Delhi during a personal visit back to India.

What did you work on?

The ultimate objective of my work and my reason for coming to ����vlog���� was to accelerate the creation of low-skills labor jobs, i.e., “blue collar” jobs. For a variety of reasons, countries like India have a limited window of opportunity to create substantially more of these jobs and thereby provide a pathway out of poverty and poverty-induced suffering and death for hundreds of millions of people. 

To this end, leadership of NITI Aayog's Industry Vertical and Economics & Finance Cell asked me to help identify manufacturing industries that have the highest potential for job creation, and begin to explore if international trade can play a role in the growth of these industries. The 10-week internship was scheduled to end August 2021; however, I was honored and grateful to have been asked to continue supporting NITI Aayog's teams to further develop my final internship deliverables. Going forward, the findings of this work will inform assessments of existing policies and the development of future policies aimed at growing India's manufacturing sector.

What was challenging?

Making progress despite being remote. Especially in government, it is usually difficult to build relationships with key decision-makers, obtain the required information, and move analyses forward without being in-person. It was difficult at times to advance on my projects as quickly and intensively as I could have if this internship had been in-person. There was a stark difference in pace and intensity of work when I was able to spend a little time in the NITI Aayog office during a personal visit back home to India. 

It was also challenging to understand, engage, and hopefully change pre-conceived notions. Based on their vast, hands-on experience and plentiful anecdotal evidence, some policymakers may have already assumed certain results from my analysis and may have been surprised by my findings. Once again, being remote made it harder to understand these preconceived notions and thereby have the awareness needed to engage most constructively with these policymakers. 

As in many public policy analyses, it was a challenge to get a sense of what kinds of data were available and potentially accessible versus available and not accessible versus simply unavailable, and to get access to available data. This involved an often-painstaking process of going from “not knowing what I didn't know” to “knowing what I didn't know.” I was grateful for the time and guidance I received from my internship supervisors in this regard.

What was surprising?

The amount of time and effort NITI Aayog's leadership put into structuring and guiding my work. I am deeply grateful for their support.

What was fun?

So many things! Being thrown headfirst into areas of policymaking where I had very little prior experience was certainly fun. I enjoyed being in “sink or swim” situations, so I thoroughly appreciated this experience and the high stakes involved. It was also fun to have a chance to finally meet leadership and colleagues and get to know them a bit better over lunches and cups of chai tea.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

 I can't wait to more fully experience the Kennedy School atmosphere: meeting more faculty and fellow students, having organic conversations around the building, and feeling more plugged in to the research centers, clubs, and other activities the school has to offer. 

I am delighted to continue my work with NITI Aayog and am excited to be able to better seek guidance from faculty members at the Kennedy School, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Business School. 

I am also honored and excited to be a co-chair for the 2022 India Conference at Harvard. I’m looking forward to working with my fellow co-chairs to build the conference team and together planning a vibrant and enriching conference.

Sebastian Peña Laris MPA/ID 2022

Where did you work this summer?

and

What was your title?

Summer Fellow (Growth Lab) and Short-Term Consultant (World Bank)

Who were your supervisors?

Farah Hani MPA/ID 2019, Research Fellow and Ricardo Villasmil MC/MPA 2014, Senior Research Fellow (Growth Lab) and Tania Priscilla Begazo Gomez MPA/ID 2006, Senior Economist (World Bank)

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely, but I was able to travel to Mexico, Colombia, France, Spain, and within the United States.

What did you work on?

At the Growth Lab, I worked on analyzing Jordan's public wage bill as part of the project between the Growth Lab and the Government of Jordan's economic response to the pandemic. The objective of this research was, among other things, to understand the key drivers of the increase in the wage bill, and the wage gap premium between the public and private sectors, and analyze the composition of the civil service structure and remuneration. The purpose of my work was to provide suggestions based on better international practices that could improve human resource allocation, management of the civil service, and explore the feasibility of containing expenditure growth. 

Within the World Bank’s Digital Development Global Practice's department, I developed training materials for government officials as part of the Africa Agile Regulation for Digital Transformation capacity building program. I also prepared background notes on taxation of telecommunication services in Africa, helped prepare the Africa Digital Economy Flagship “Inclusive Digital Africa” report, and did background research in preparation of analytical reports on spectrum management and digital platforms.

What was challenging?

Working on both internships remotely was challenging. Participating in meetings while working remotely in Medellín, Colombia where there is poor internet connection was quite frustrating. 

Working with a senior economist at the World Bank was great, but it was easy to get lost sometimes due to the size of the project. There were high expectations on my findings and output, but it was difficult to have time for feedback given the workload. 

Language and culture were definitely challenging in the Growth Lab. For example, in a meeting we didn't know to address our counterpart as “excellency” given her seniority in the government.

What was surprising?

It was surprising to see the similarities of growth constraints in countries all around the world. It was something we learned about in class, of course, but from my experiences it was evident that what I have lived in my country was relatable in many other economies.

What was fun?

It was really fun to collaborate with people from all over the world and have the opportunity to work with a foreign government as well as an international organization such as the World Bank.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

To enroll in classes, mainly involving infrastructure, finance, and development, that will enhance my experience with these organizations. I’m also looking forward to exploring opportunities as a social entrepreneur and improve my soft skills in areas such as negotiation and leadership.

Kimberly Poff MPA/ID 2022

Where did you work this summer?

Office of Development Programs and Coordination,

What was your title?

Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

On site in Tirana, Albania

What did you work on?

I worked on programs related to EU and Albanian initiatives in the “Blue” Economy, which encompasses marine- and oceanic-based economic growth, social inclusion programs, municipal capacity development, gender inclusion, innovation and technology development, and waste management. I was included anywhere they needed me—so there were a lot of opportunities!

What was challenging?

The Albanian language was a challenge. All of my co-workers spoke English and any collaboration or correspondence with people from other countries was in English. But many internal meetings were in Albanian, which I didn't have time to learn before coming. Even once in-country, I found the language to be a challenge and feel I missed out on some of the more casual aspects of being in an office.

What was surprising?

All of the ways different—especially lesser known—development agencies or industry groups can work together with country governments to spur economic and social development. Much of my time was spent looking at the initiatives of trade groups in tourism or tech in other western Balkan countries to understand how they had better formalized and grown their sectors.

What was fun?

I LOVED getting to know Albania. It's a beautiful country full of friendly people. I was also able to travel to Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, and Greece. Traveling had some challenges (and a lot of different currencies), but I enjoyed my time so much that I will look for other opportunities in eastern Europe after graduation.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I'm really looking forward to getting to take electives. The MPA/ID core doesn't allow for a lot of extra classes in the first year, so getting to focus more specifically on my interests this year is exciting.

Beatriz Vasconcellos de Araújo MPA/ID 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Summer Fellow in Nashua, New Hampshire

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

I worked on site for two weeks and eight weeks remotely. I was in Nashua, New Hampshire.

What did you work on?

I worked on increasing community engagement in the participatory budgeting process in Nashua’s Tree Streets neighborhood, which has the lowest human development index in New Hampshire and a large Latino population. The idea was to use participatory budgeting as a way for city government to get closer to the community, residents, and local organizations. My role was to connect with local leaders, get them involved and support them with materials, promote the idea collection phase, and get as many people as possible to submit ideas. As I learned about local issues, I was constantly sharing those insights with the mayor's office and trying to act on some.

What was challenging?

The city has had a long struggle connecting with residents in this neighborhood. I heard from several residents they feel intimidated in City Hall, face language barriers, and sometimes lack faith in city initiatives. First, the challenge was to approach residents and local leaders in an empathetic way and connect with them. But the challenge that followed was to keep these relationships and stay connected while I worked remotely. I learned this required trust and consistency, so I reported back to residents about the feedback they gave me and nurtured relationships. I am now convinced there are five sequential elements that are essential to carry out effective public policy and develop underserved areas: empathy, personal connection, physical presence, consistency, and trust. These can never be achieved by only looking at data or designing public policies from our offices.

What was surprising?

It surprised me how fast I was able to connect with local residents by going to where they are, speaking in Portuguese and Spanish, and listening. I learned about issues City Hall wasn't aware of, including how food insecurity in their neighborhood is linked to insufficient public transportation and a two-bag limit on the bus. I brought this insight back to City Hall and they immediately started brainstorming solutions and interacting with residents who know the issue well.

What was fun?

The process was incredibly fun! In one week, I was introduced to all of the Latino restaurants in the area, ate empanadas every day, went to a block party, and even made my way on to a local radio show. Friends helped me add posters in bus stops and came to the block party with me.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I look forward to continuing to learn about inclusive economic development and contributing to city initiatives. And I can't wait to be back on campus with friends and faculty, and really hope we can return to the libraries, my favorite places on campus.

Jay Bishen MPA / Penn Wharton MBA 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Summer Associate

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely

What did you work on?

The DFC is the American government's development finance arm. Within the broader organization, I specifically worked for the Social Enterprise Finance Team (SEFT), which provides debt or equity financing for early-stage social enterprises. In total, I was staffed on three deals: a microcredit lender in Western India, logistics provider in East Africa, and Fin-tech debt fund operating in Latin America and Southeast Asia. My day-to-day largely depended on the maturity of each project when I joined the team in early June, ranging from very early stage due diligence calls with the firm’s management to assess their respective business models, to the preparation of investment memos for internal consumption.

What was challenging?

Without a doubt, working in a remote environment. A large part of investing in emerging markets entails traveling to the cities or towns your companies operate in to conduct due diligence. While it's still possible to have these conversations via video conferencing, I think there's a discount in one's ability to assess potential investments remotely. Furthermore, a large attraction, at least for me, of interning at an organization like the DFC was the chance to meet like-minded professionals who have similar goals and passions. While the DFC did an excellent job of hosting periodic virtual networking events for the Summer Associates, and everyone in the organization was incredibly generous with their time, it's difficult to recreate or manufacture the serendipitous encounters that happen when in-person at an office.

What was surprising?

I was surprised with the expansiveness of the team's investment mandate. Given it is part of the U.S. government, I assumed the DFC would have a rigid and narrow set of companies it could look at. However, the Social Enterprise Finance Team maintained a broad investable universe, with the ability to provide capital to companies across any sector or geography. In my summer alone, I was staffed on deals in three different sectors that had operations in four different regions!

What was fun?

My favorite part of the internship was talking with the founders of the firms I partnered with. Looking beyond their plans for their companies, it was fascinating to hear each founder’s personal life story and the driving forces behind their decisions to start their firms. Learning about the gambles they were taking and sacrifices they were making was incredibly inspiring for me, especially as I consider the next steps in my own career.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

This is probably the easiest question of the bunch—meeting my classmates in person for the first time! I thoroughly enjoyed my first semester at ����vlog���� in fall 2020, but it’s just so much tougher to form relationships over Zoom. I'm really looking forward to meeting the rest of my class in person this semester!

Nikhil George MPA / MIT Sloan MBA 2022

Where did you work this summer?

Google

What was your title?

Product Manager

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

I worked remotely in Cambridge, MA. My team, however, was spread across Mountain View, CA, Boulder, CO, Cambridge, MA, and Seoul, South Korea.

What did you work on?

I worked on Google’s desktop Search team (think laptops/computers as opposed to mobile). With COVID-19 and a move to remote work, there has been a surge in desktop usage. My project involved developing a strategy for and launching a new design framework for about 15 percent of global desktop search traffic that better aligns with how users process information and undertake more complex journeys on these devices. 

What was challenging?

It was a bit challenging to form personal connections with my teammates and partner teams the first few weeks. With virtual meetings, it was easy to forgo small talk and miss those “water-cooler moments” an in-person experience would provide. A tip I picked up from my manager that I found very effective at the end was to always use the first 10 mins of a meeting to get to know my teammates. This came especially in handy since so much of the Product Manager role is about the ability to influence without authority.

What was surprising?

I was surprised by a few things. Firstly, everyone talks about it, but Google’s culture is extremely bottom-up. Directives for new product ideas and improvements do not come from executives but often from the engineering, design, and product teams. A big part of the job was convincing your teammates on the merits of your idea and getting commitment to building it. I was surprised by how much I leaned on some of the soft skills I picked up at ����vlog���� like Negotiating Across Differences, The Arts of Communication, and leadership. It forced you to always think about the end-user problem you were solving and be ready with a tailored 30-second elevator pitch of the idea. The second most surprising thing was how seriously Google takes its commitment to “building for everyone.” I was impressed by the policy frameworks and approval processes in place to ensure that product features being launched meet the bar for accessibility and internationalization before rollout.

What was fun?

I enjoyed learning the nuts and bolts of how a product as fundamental as Google Search works, what the PM role is like, and how a tech company thinks about creating, improving, and maintaining 1 billion+ user products.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am really excited to reconnect with my MPA classmates in person after a year of online learning!

Quentin Gollier MPA 2022

Where did you work this summer?

French Economic Recovery Task Force

What was your title?

Manager of the Economic Recovery Plan inter-governmental platform

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

On site in Paris, France

What did you work on?

France centered its economic recovery plan around three major axes: ecology (launching a massive push in the thermal refurbishment of private housing and state-owned buildings, de-polluting industrial production, or subsidizing the transition to electric vehicles), competitiveness (aiming to enable the private sector to perform better through targeted industrial investment and upgrade digital capabilities), and cohesion (in large part enabling the youth, handicapped, or underprivileged to enter the job market with the assistance of specific subsidized contracts). 

This plan was set up with record speed in the immediate follow-up to the first COVID-19 wave, and required the creation of a dedicated reporting platform, coordinating the operational roll-out of funds and measures across a dozen ministries and many more public agencies. As part of a task force of around 10 people, I coordinated the creation and reporting structure of this platform in close collaboration with the cabinet of the Minister of Economics and Finance and the Office of the Prime Minister. This was achieved through constant coordination with our contractors and over 70 touchpoints at the ministerial level across the French administrative infrastructure. 

This platform is now a central part in the management of the , which sets conditional reimbursement milestones on €40 billion worth of spending distributed across more than 180 measures, enabling the Commission to track on a monthly basis the speed and traction of the French recovery.

What was challenging?

This project combined a complex mix of IT-based constraints (with the adaptation of an off-the-shelf solution developed for other users across a set of ministries), governance issues (managing the vexingly fluid movement of managers across measures and portfolios), and “firefighting” administration as the beginning of the reimbursement milestones for the European Recovery Plan started to come into view in the middle of the summer. This project required flexible project management skills as well as the ability to work under relatively fluid and ambiguous chains of reporting, demanding non-trivially computable data from totally “foreign” administrations.

What was surprising?

I come from the consulting and start-up worlds where projects (and especially projects with a strong IT component!) have a very formalized runway to deployment and operations. This internship made clear to me that, in contrast with prior experiences, there was still a long way to go before platform-supported reporting could be credibly deployed at-scale in an administration where the mail is often still the primary source of communication. That being said, COVID-19 was clearly a game-changer for the French administrative superstructure, and efforts in making sure that common standards are applied and enforced through the ministerial silos (and across the Parisian highway belt...) are very clearly picking up steam!

What was fun?

Summer in Paris is always fun! But generally, the team was—as it always is—the source of most of the fun throughout my stay at the Task Force. There is a very different tension from the quarter-based imperatives that can make start-ups a bit of a nightmare at times, with more camaraderie and willingness to assist colleagues.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

The Charles River, whale cruises, the teachers I could only meet through Zoom last year, and hopefully one or two Celtics games!

Emmy-Lou Nicolaï MPA 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Intern, Emergency Specialist

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

On site in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

What did you work on?

We coordinated two key programs daily with the Emergency section based in Goma. First, a program to eradicate cholera in the DRC through a localized case detection and management approach in a country that has seen nearly 20,000 suspected cases of cholera and 353 deaths in 2020—the vast majority were children under the age of 5. Second, a rapid response program for displaced persons—the DRC has 5 million displaced persons—aimed to provide a response in 15 days or less to people forced to flee following armed attacks or natural disasters. This coordination is done with UNICEF’s partners, particularly the Congolese Red Cross, the UNICEF national office (for example, for fundraising activities), and local UNICEF offices in provinces such as Tanganyika or Ituri.

The Emergency section is also responsible for coordinating UNICEF’s response to major humanitarian crises in eastern DRC to ensure that activities by programmatic sections (Education, Health, Nutrition, WASH, Communication, Protection) are carried out in concert and as effectively as possible.

What was challenging?

Two weeks after my arrival in Goma, while I was still adapting to a difficult security situation, the Nyiragongo volcano—about 15 kilometers from Goma—erupted, letting out two lava flows. It was challenging personally. The eruption was in the evening, and my house was in a neighborhood razed by lava in 2002 and, therefore, considered dangerous. I had to gather my things in a small bag and prepare to evacuate my house.

Once this night of anxiety was over and putting aside the about 400 earthquakes per day for a short week, it was then challenging professionally. I never had to participate in a project with such a high level of urgency, with more than 30 deaths, more than 20,000 homeless people, and around 400,000 displaced persons. What should I prioritize? How was I to manage my own fears and stay on task? Many UNICEF staff were evacuated, which meant I took on more responsibility, participating directly in assessing needs on the ground.

What was surprising?

What surprised me the most was how quickly this professional challenge disappeared. My team was totally invested in its work, smiling and even laughing despite the circumstances, and able to hear and listen to each other's emotions. No one raised their voice to impose themselves; no one found it useful to remind them of the urgency of decisions to be taken; no one used any form of pressure. Even when there was confusion, we understood what had to come first at that particular moment through a form of emotional listening.

What was fun?

For security reasons, living in Goma as an aid worker means living in a tiny world. But there is beautiful solidarity that prompts nightly discussions on the meaning of the world and life, all while over some sweets from our cupboards. We become aware that life is beautiful but short.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I aspire to meet fellow students who I’ve only known virtually. I hope to explore leadership and negotiation skills that, during my internship, I discovered are key. And finally, I will try to take a step back from my emotional internship to decide if it’s right for me to follow my heart.

Naintara (Tara) Rajan MPA 2022 / Stanford GSB MBA 2021

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Dukakis Fellow, Michael S. Dukakis Governors’ Summer Fellowship (through Harvard Kennedy School)

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

I spent two weeks in Connecticut, visiting the capitol of Hartford. Otherwise, I worked remotely.

What did you work on?

This summer, I worked primarily on two initiatives: First, ensuring that adult-use cannabis (legalized in the early days of my summer!) is rolled out in an equitable and safe manner by supporting the newly created Social Equity Council, and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Second, I worked with the Department of Education on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Challenge, aiming to increase FAFSA completion rates—a key predictor of post-secondary education attendance—in Connecticut high schools.

What was challenging?

There were definitely challenges to remote work. It was much harder to message/email than to just lean over and get someone's thoughts. The days I spent in Hartford were certainly the most productive and educative in terms of understanding how everyone works together, and the bustling craziness of a day in government.

What was surprising?

Coming from big tech (I was at Google for four years prior to school), I was warned that working for government would be slow and frustrating. However, I was surprised to find that the Connecticut government works even faster than tech in some instances. With deadlines written into law, we had to be nimble and creative.

What was fun?

I loved working on issues at the forefront of equity, in both the cannabis and education spaces. It was so fun to watch ideas turn into real, impactful initiatives that will change the future of the state, and potentially set a blueprint for the country. I was able to be in Hartford for the first meeting of the Social Equity Council, and hearing councilmembers talk about how much the initiative meant to them is something that will stay with me for a long time.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I'm looking forward to being in Cambridge (for the first time!) and continue my work with the . I'm passionate about how media/entertainment and behavioral science can interact to promote social equity—and after my time in the governor’s office, I have a better understanding the role that government can play in the equation. I’m excited to bring this experience into my work at ����vlog����.

Anthony Sacco MPA / Penn Law JD 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Tax Policy Fellow

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely from Boston, MA

What did you work on?

I was on the committee's Democratic tax staff working on federal tax policy, particularly issues relating to passthrough businesses, capital gains, and retirement plans.

What was challenging?

The most challenging aspect of this type of work was keeping up with the fast-paced nature of federal politics, especially when the team was not physically in an office where I could get questions answered easily or stay on top of every piece of action as it happens.

What was surprising?

While participating in policy meetings, I was consistently surprised and impressed with the vast amount of expertise everybody brings to the table. Every meeting left me with a list of tax topics that I did not understand or recognize, but also inspired me to continue learning and expanding my own expertise.

What was fun?

I was able to participate substantively in many discussions, especially our work on partnership tax reform. My colleagues were so inclusive and supportive, urging me to share my thoughts during meetings, ask questions, and even contribute some of my own ideas. This aspect of the internship was very rewarding, as I was actually able to meaningfully engage and draw on my own knowledge of partnership tax and other topics.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I'm excited to continue expanding and deepening my knowledge of various policy areas as I pursue a career in federal government in Washington, DC.

This fall I'll be taking classes in health care, employment law at Harvard Law School, racial justice, and statistics. The core statistics courses were a major reason I chose to come to ����vlog����, and after having a substantial introduction to statistics in the first year, I'm thrilled to continue building my empirical methods skills in an advanced statistics course in the statistics department. This cross-disciplinary and diverse set of courses would not be possible without the breadth of fascinating course options available at ����vlog���� as well as the flexibility offered by ����vlog���� to register at other Harvard schools.

Ena Solórzano MPA 2022 / MIT Sloan MBA 2021

Where did you work this summer?

Facebook

What was your title?

Project Manager Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely

What did you work on?

I worked on the Scaled Operations team at Facebook. The Scaled Operations team oversees tens of thousands of people around the world, who support several business lines across the company—from content moderation for community safety and integrity, to commerce, to labeling operations. My focus over the summer was working on a standardized approach to introduce the services offered by the Scaled Operations team into nascent teams, products, and lines-of-business in the organization.

What was challenging?

One of the things that was most challenging this summer, especially working remotely, has been wrapping my head around the scale at which a tech company like Facebook operates worldwide. Between everything that is going on in the world today, the many teams and individuals working to keep the community safe, and the organization's drive to innovate, there is a truly complex system in need of multidisciplinary approaches to solving problems at big scale.

What was surprising?

While it is easy to think that a tech company relies heavily on its technology to get things done, one of the most surprising things of working in the Scaled Operations team at Facebook has been the realization that human capital is still at the heart of the company and its efforts to bring out the good of the platform while minimizing the bad. I learned pretty quickly that, although thinking about regulation in the tech industry is important, so is thinking about how to inspire, mobilize, and move people to achieve the desired positive results of any policy initiatives we undertake in the future.

What was fun?

Working with international and diverse teammates made my summer incredibly fun. Despite only engaging via video call, I had plenty of opportunities to get to know and engage with my teammates whether through our work, coffee chats, trivia games, and virtual paint nights.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I am very excited to be back on campus this fall and interact with my classmates. Our professors did a great job translating their classes to Zoom but I cannot wait to bring our learning experience and engagement back in person.

Blaine Williams MPA 2022

Where did you work this summer?

Amazon

What was your title?

Product Manager III - MBA Intern

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

I participated in Amazon’s hybrid program. I lived in Seattle, Washington for the summer and went into the office 1-2 days a week.

What did you work on?

I was a member of the Automated Brand Protection team, under the Customer Trust and Partner Support organization. We were charged with protecting the intellectual property (IP) of brands by scanning all Amazon listings for copyright, patent, or trademark infringing products (fakes, counterfeits, etc.) and removing them from the catalog. My specific project was to build a framework for graduated or tiered enforcements (punishments) for listings and sellers suspected of infringing on IP. The current framework is binary (remove listing from catalog or ignore listing) and there's room for a much more nuanced, tailored framework.

What was challenging?

The biggest hurdle was getting up to speed on the specifics of this space. One of Amazon's leadership principles is “dive deep” and it was definitely required this summer to learn the intricacies of IP law, common tactics used by bad actors, and develop a set of enforcement criteria and principles … all in 12 weeks. It was a huge amount of work, but also an extremely rewarding experience.

What was surprising?

The amount of trust and level of autonomy given to me as an intern was very surprising. My project has the potential to drastically impact how my team thinks about and treats infringing behavior, but I was given a ton of room to maneuver and a lot of support to produce a high-quality product.

What was fun?

It was really fun to be surrounded by a team of incredibly dedicated, intelligent, and thoughtful people willing to work in a space with constantly changing variables and few “victories” to lean on. It's a tough job to constantly play the “cat and mouse” game with very sophisticated bad actors intent on finding loopholes and gaming the system. It's certainly not everyone's idea of fun, but I had a blast!

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

Living in Cambridge! I was completely remote last fall and I'm excited to step foot on campus to meet many of my classmates in person for the first time. Being back in the ����vlog���� learning environment is something I'm definitely looking forward to!

Assaf Yablon MPA / MIT Sloan MBA 2022

Where did you work this summer?

What was your title?

Product Manager

Did you work on site or remotely? Where?

Remotely from Cambridge, MA

What did you work on?

I worked for , a cloud service for managing Machine Learning project's lifecycle. Specifically, I researched and implemented a set of features to revamp the process of using and connecting data in the platform.

What was challenging?

The most challenging part was creating a significant impact in such a short time, in an environment you don't know, with people you have never met before, using tools you didn't realize existed. But honestly, I think it's true for many other internships as well because they present a significant challenge but also a great reward. In these condensed 10 weeks, I learned a lot and had so much fun while working intensely.

What was surprising?

I was amazed to be working in three different time zones and still find it works well. I worked remotely from Cambridge, while most of my team was based in Seattle, Washington, and my manager, the one who I communicated with the most in my internship, lived in London. I guess this is a different era and working continuously in multiple time zones is something we should get used to and actually includes many benefits alongside the challenges.

What was fun?

I met innumerable fascinating people and worked on an incredible product. But the best part was to create something from scratch that I hope would impact many people. This is a satisfying experience, and I look forward to seeing the drafts from my notebook go live and being used by countless people worldwide. Apart from my internship, my significant other, Atalia, became my fiancée as we got engaged and spent a considerable amount of time sailing the Charles River.

What are you looking forward to the most this fall?

I have never taken a class on campus before! Last year was split between my two programs, ����vlog���� and MIT Sloan, and we studied remotely during my ����vlog���� semester. So even though I already made several good friends and met so many virtually in Zoom classes, I can't wait to see everyone in person! I'm excited to take classes in person, meet old as well as new friends, TAing for the first time, and experience the ����vlog���� community!