Meet PAI's Summer 2009 Interns

Ang Zheng, Global Climate Change Research Intern As a rising sophomore at Brown University, I plan to double-major in Applied Math-Econ and Computer Science-Econ, which combine my long-lasting enthusiasm for math and my newly-developed interest in Economics.  Through my pre-college education in Shenzhen, China, I had been trained for the National Math Olympiad and won the first prize in 8th grade for the first time and in 9th grade for the second time. In high school, I devoted myself to Dandelion, a city-wide student organization and served as the president for this vibrant group that has raised $30,000 dollars and helped build three schools in Gansu Province, northwest China.

I am really excited about interning with PAI, a renowned pioneer in population research and advocacy, and look forward to working with Professor Leiwen Jiang and other staff on issues of population projections, urbanization, girl’s education and climate change modeling. I enjoy the dynamic aspects and the amicable atmosphere in PAI and look forward to becoming part of this energetic organization. 

Gabrielle Stopper, Resource Development Intern 
Gabrielle recently graduated from George Washington University with a degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies.  While attending GW, she interned for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and The National MS Society, working in government relations and development.  During her time at GW, Gabrielle also studied abroad and conducted research in Beijing and Amsterdam.  Although she has been fortunate enough to travel around the world, Albuquerque, New Mexico will always be her home. While working at PAI, Gabrielle hopes to expand her knowledge of international reproductive rights and utilize her past experiences to contribute to the development team.

Jaclyn Seisman, List Management Intern 
Jaclyn Seisman is from Annapolis, Maryland and is currently pursuing her Bachelors degree at Elon University in North Carolina, studying Political Science and Public Administration with a focus on International Relations and Public Health. As a Periclean Scholar at her university, Jaclyn hopes to bring awareness of family planning and reproductive rights to southern Sri Lanka. She is also passionate about traveling and is excited to study abroad in South Africa next winter.

Hillary Bell, Finance & Administration Intern 
Hillary is a rising junior at Syracuse University. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Science degree in Finance and Marketing Management, with a minor in Spanish. She is very interested in budgeting and international finance, as it relates to the projects and work of PAI. At Syracuse, she is involved in a student-founded organization, OrangeAID that aims at advocating for and addressing HIV/AIDS prevention and education domestically. She hopes to gain a lot of experience here at PAI and is excited to be part of this organization.

Kelly A. Morrissey, International Advocacy Web Development Intern
Kelly has moved to Washington, D.C. following the commencement of her undergraduate education at Miami University.  There she majored in Speech Communication with concentrations in both Organizational Communication and the Classical Humanities. 

Her diverse academic background has allowed her to act as an executive board member of the student-run organization, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).  As Alumni Relations and Web Director, she single-handedly recreated the organization’s website.  In addition to creating the MU PRSSA website, Kelly has also developed an advocacy-related site focusing on the most recent presidential election.  Her efforts highlighted the needs and wants of students prior to voting on national election days.  Kelly is very excited to begin her experience with PAI and hopes to become more involved within the non-profit industry.

Katie Wallner, USGR Intern
Katie Wallner is the U.S. Government Relations Intern at PAI for the summer of 2009.  In May 2009, Katie graduated from The George Washington University with a B.A. in International Affairs, concentrating in Global Public Health and Contemporary Cultures and Societies, and a minor in French.  She has previously worked at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) and the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator at the State Department.  She has also trained teens to be HIV/AIDS peer educators in Tanzania, and spent a semester in a French Studies program in Paris, France.  Katie is very passionate about PAI’s mission, and aspires to have a career in international reproductive health policy.

Kame Westerman, Climate Change Intern
As a current graduate student in Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology, Kame Westerman is interested in connections between populations, public health, and environmental conservation.  Through personal travel and work with the Peace Corps and US Forest Service, Kame has gained an appreciation for the importance of including people in the process of truly sustainable environmental conservation.  This summer, Kame will continue to study these important interactions through work with the climate change team at Population Action International.    

Dawn Barton, ePAI Intern
Dawn received her MSI degree this spring from the University of Michigan’s School of Information. She has worked in Knowledge Management and Digital Archives for the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan, and has completed a short internship for the National Digital Information Infrastructure & Preservation Program at the Library of Congress’s Office of Strategic Initiatives. She has also worked for the Interuniversity Consortium of Political and Social Research, cataloging entries for a Child Care and Early Education Research database. Dawn will be working with Mary Panke and Sarah Reidy on the ePAI project. They will create a Knowledge Repository for older (yet still useful) works, as well as create a helpful taxonomy in preparation for their move to Sharepoint this fall.

Kirana Bammarito, Communications Intern
Kirana graduated this past May from a local DC university (American University), with a BA in Communication Studies: Media and Society, and minors in Anthropology and Language and Area Studies: Spanish/Latin America. She decided to stay in DC for the summer, interning at both PAI and Equals Three Communications, Inc., a social marketing agency in Bethesda. She hopes to combine social marketing with “enviro-feminist” population growth issues, specifically concentrating on domestic attitudes towards sexual education and size of families. She loves traveling, reading, arts and crafts and meeting new people. Plans for the summer include: finding all the local farmers’ markets with new friends, further exploring the “real” DC, running/biking local trails, reading, knitting gifts for her upcoming baby niece and applying for “real” jobs.

Sheena Agarwal, Financing Research Intern  
Sheena Agarwal is currently pursuing her master’s degree in international development from American University’s School of International Service.  Her research interests relate to youth identities and gender equitable programming; as well as aid effectiveness and the subsequent impact on development programs.  She has worked in the nonprofit sector for the past five years with various health, education and youth agencies and hopes to learn more about effective policy and advocacy work with PAI.