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Paid Internships
Alexa Potter – Environmental Education Intern
Pitzer College | 2025
B.A. in Environmental Analysis and Gender Studies
Alexa’s project this summer was building a community asset tool that will aid in the formation and maintenance of environmental and outdoor education. The tool is highly interactive and allows educators to learn more about possible education opportunities by virtually stepping into the sites in 360 degrees. She got to learn new technology such as Thinglink, GIS, Insta360, and more, to bring to life a framework that others can use to make online governmental resources more accessible and user friendly. She is proud of her work and thankful for her time at Pierce County because any new way of removing barriers and supporting the community is a huge win.
Mason Hap – Parks and Trails Planning Intern
University of Washington Tacoma | 2024
B.S. in Urban Design
Mason’s projects involved researching public engagement strategies for a future park development. He also had an independent, self-chosen research project about how marginalized groups experience green space. As a part of his research, he went on multiple site visits to future parks and trails that will be developed and attended meetings to discuss the parks and trails being developed. Mason enjoyed the glimpse he got into the planning process, as well as seeing how this work can benefit community access to these public outdoor spaces and prioritize community voices in the planning process.
David Ssali – Building and Code Enforcement Intern
Whitworth University | 2026
B.S. in Engineering and Applied Physics
David’s projects involved playing a crucial role in reviewing construction plans for compliance with building codes and zoning regulations. He meticulously analyzed designs, ensuring adherence to safety standards and sustainable practices. David collaborated effectively with the county’s architects, contractors, and local authorities to address concerns during the design phase, contributing to the successful execution of construction projects. With his newfound experience and knowledge, he looks forward to contributing further to the betterment of communities in his future endeavors.
Rebecca Higbee – Data Analyst Intern
Utah State University | 2024
B.S. in Statistics, Minor in Math
Rebecca's projects focused on maintaining and improving Open Pierce County, a data-driven dashboard intended to help the public understand the some of the innerworkings and keep Pierce County accountable to its goals. She created a protocol that found old information on the website so that it could be removed, created a story page with graphs and charts about the protocol she built, and individually went through content on Open Pierce County to make sure it was up to County standards. She loved interning with Pierce County because the people she worked with truly cared about her and her professional development.
Hannah Isomura – Juvenile Court Dependency Intern
Azusa Pacific University – 2024
Master’s in Social Work Candidate, B.A. in Business Management, Minor in Sociology 2022
Hannah’s primary role in the Juvenile Court was being a case aide for the County’s Guardian ad Litems (GAL) and volunteer advocates. She aided in conducting home visits to ensure safety and advocate for the child’s best interest, sat in on various meetings in order to take notes for GALs, and observed court. Additionally, Hannah worked on archiving and organizing donations, along with working on projects to engage the children in dependency with positive youth development programs. Hannah enjoyed the opportunity the Juvenile Court gave her to learn about the system and court processes along with playing an active role in impacting the lives of youth and families within Pierce County.
Kelsey Lyons – Autopsy Technical Intern
University of Washington Tacoma | 2024
B.S. in Biomedical Sciences
After completing her undergrad this Winter, Kelsey aspires to obtain her Master’s at a Physician’s Assistant Program to further her career in Pathology. She spendt her time at the Medical Examiner’s Office observing and assisting with autopsies and refining skills including sample collection and fingerprinting. Kelsey describes her time with Pierce County as an experience that would be hard to come by and offers a new appreciation for the inner workings of the departments. She enjoyed taking part in the daily tasks of the Medical Examiner’s Office, gaining hands-on experience, and serving her community.
Gil Gepte –Sustainable Transportation Outreach Coordinator Intern
Western Washington University | 2023
B.A. in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development
Gil's projects focused on reactivating marketing and outreach strategies for Ride Together Pierce's rebrand launch. He deployed the Walk Everywhere Challenge marketing campaign for the community, helped with updating website content and newsletters, coordinated and planned community engagement logistics with consultants. Gil's favorite part of the internship at Pierce County was the chance to network, go on multiple site visits and tours, attend workshops, while working on diverse assignments and projects in a single summer.
Karen Lin – Policy Research and Legal Intern
University of Washington Tacoma | 2023
B.A. in Economics and Policy Analysis
Karen’s project involved building an inventory for the numerous housing programs available in Pierce County. She used Excel to format the inventory, organized the resources into different categories depending on the housing situation of individuals, and created a section to separate intervention programs from providers. This inventory will be used for inquiries at the Council’s Office. Karen had a great time learning and meeting new people during this internship. It has made several positive impacts and helped inform what she has planned for her future career path.
Kimberlee Trujillo – Human Resources Intern
George Fox University | 2024
B.A in Business Administration and Business Management
Kimberlee’s projects were focused on observing core functions of all four department divisions within Human Resources. That process gave her the opportunity to have a better understanding of the work she may want to do in Human Resources once she graduates from college. Then, Kimberlee attended multiple career and community events engaging, with a variety of diverse backgrounds in the community to discuss job opportunities at Pierce County. Lastly, she has observed, facilitated, and co-instructed Legal and Effective Interviewing for other Pierce County employees. This project specifically focuses on Organizational Development and Training Division within Human Resources and provided the opportunity for Kimberlee to enhance her knowledge in DEI and the recruitment process of future County Employees. Kimberlee has enjoyed being an Intern for Pierce County and hopes to come back to work in Human Resources one day!
Sydney Lewis – Communications and Videography Intern
University of Arizona | 2023
BA in Film and Television Production, Minor in Communications
Sydney’s projects included shooting videos, sorting through footage, editing sequences together, and creating the intern video. Sydney was a critical part of the intern’s culminating project, a video presentation to the Pierce County Council. She coordinated, filmed, interviewed, edited, and helped the intern cohort stay on track. She has enjoyed her internship because she has been able to create projects that showcase the beauty of Pierce County, and she has learned a lot.