Learn About the Current Interns
Alexander Peralta, Federal Fiscal Policy Intern, (he/him/his)
Alexander is an Intern on the Federal Fiscal Policy team. During his previous internship with the Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in the United States, Alexander completed an economic development project with a focus on increasing access to medical care for residents of Iraqi-Kurdistan. Alexander is majoring in economic consulting and public policy analysis at Indiana University Bloomington.
Daniella Campos, SFP/SPI and Development Intern, (she/her/hers)
Daniella is an intern with the Strategic Projects Initiative (SPI) team within the State Fiscal Policy team and the Development Team. She recently graduated from Saint Joseph's University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Public Policy. Before joining the Center, Daniella served as an Alliance & Advocacy Coordinator for Genocide Watch. Her role involved monitoring human rights situations and genocide concerns in various Latin American countries, as well as supporting advocacy projects. Daniella is passionate about reducing gender, racial, and income inequality in the United States and worldwide. She is grateful for this opportunity and eager to learn from the SFP, SPI, and Development teams.
Evan Dymond, Government Affairs Intern, (he/him/his)
Evan Dymond is the Government Affairs intern. He recently graduated from Occidental College with degrees in Diplomacy & World Affairs and Economics. Previously, Evan has worked for Congressman Jamie Raskin and the Better World Campaign at the United Nations Foundation. He is passionate about inequality issues and focused on income and wealth inequality throughout his undergraduate career.
Gabriella Alphonso, Food Assistance Intern, (she/her/hers)
Gabriella Alphonso is the Food Assistance intern. She has been a Registered Dietician for over eight years and has research, academic and professional experience in a wide array of areas including food insecurity, agricultural food recovery, food safety, physical activity in the preschool environment, and nutrition assessment and counseling. Her most recent accomplishments are policy research briefs she co-authored with faculty at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs on topics related to food insecurity among military service members, older adults, and children in economically disadvantaged households. As a native of Trinidad and Tobago, she has previously collaborated with an Inter-American technical agriculture agency to develop an educational and capacity-building platform to strengthen food safety practices among micro and small enterprises in the Caribbean. Gabriella recently graduated with a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University. She also holds a Master of Science in food technology-quality assurance from the University of Reading and a bachelor’s degree in human nutrition and dietetics from the University of the West Indies.
Holly Furrer, HR Intern (she/her/hers)
Holly is a senior at The George Washington University. She is pursuing a double major in Psychology & Economics and has a strong interest in human behavior and data analytics. Before joining CBPP, she worked as an HR Partner intern at Amazon where she found a strong passion for human resources and helping people. Holly is excited and grateful to join CBPP, where she can have the opportunity to work and learn from the HR Team and further pursue her career in human resources.
Jessy Dickinson, Outreach Intern (she/her)
Jessy is an Outreach intern. Jessy is pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration from American University. She is a native of Philadelphia and attained her bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communications and Spanish from Temple University in 2021. After completing her undergraduate degree, Jessy worked as a Benefits Outreach Specialist at Benefits Data Trust for over two years. She focused on helping individuals obtain or maintain different public benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, Medicare Savings Program, housing assistance, and tax credit assistance through direct service. Jessy’s passion for contriving tangible change has driven her education and career. It will continue to do so as she pursues her master’s degree and delves into her work on “The Get It Back Campaign” at the Center.
Jonathan Burgess, SFP Network and Organizational Effectiveness Intern, (he/him)
*Returning
Jonathan is a returning intern with the SFP Network and Organizational Effectiveness team. His previous work focused on supporting the State Priorities Partnership with financial management, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, and other projects. Prior to joining the Center, Jon worked as a congressional Intern for Congressman Ruben Gallego, helping the residents of Arizona's then-7th district to access community and federal resources. He also worked for Music Unites, a music education nonprofit based in Southern California. Jon received a bachelor’s degree from Biola University where he studied both Music and Sociology. Most recently, Jon completed a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He hopes to continue to provide aid to policy organizations and nonprofits and looks forward to his continued work at the Center.
Josephine Oshagbemi, Health Intern
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Josephine (Yetunde) Oshagbemi is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. At UMBC, she pursued a Mathematics Honors degree with a minor in Economics. She was also an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow and held two research assistant positions with faculty at UMBC. Her broad research interests are primarily in development, applied microeconomics, and policy. She hopes to address microeconomic issues of gender inequality and wealth disparities in sub-Saharan Africa. When she isn’t busy with school, you can find her exploring museums and trying out restaurants.
Juliette Kimmins, SFP Communications and Campaigns Intern, (she/her)
*Returning
Juliette is a returning intern with the SFP Communications and Campaigns teams. She graduated with her master’s degree in public policy from Stony Brook University this past spring. Additionally, she received her bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science, also from Stony Brook University. Her previous work includes interning for the Institute of International Education’s Research, Evaluation, and Learning team and volunteering for the International Model United Nations Association’s flagship conference. Juliette is also an alumna of the SUNY Global Affairs JFEW program.
Megan Valmidiano, Equity and Inclusion Intern, (she/her/hers)
Megan Valmidiano is the Equity and Inclusion Intern. She is a trained dialogue facilitator, and has led students through multiple dialogue sessions on topics regarding gender identity, racial disparity on college campuses, and diversity in business. Currently part of a dual-degree program at the University of Maryland, she is working toward a Bachelor of Science in Government and Politics and a Master of Science in Applied Political Analytics.
Nathaniel Unah, Data Intern, (he/him/his)
Nathaniel (Nathan) Unah is an intern with the Data team. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Social Science with a concentration in Economics at the University of Chicago, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics, also from the University of Chicago. His research interests include labor and economic inequality, especially across racial lines, and previous work of his examines how financial insecurity influenced health outcomes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. He is excited to hone his storytelling and data analysis skills through working with the Center. Nathan is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and enjoys reading, playing soccer, and learning new languages in his free time.
Obeid Amsa, IT Intern (he/him)
Obeid Amsa is an intern for the Information Technology team. Obeid holds an associate’s degree in Information Technology from Northern Virginia Community College and made significant contributions as a Lab Assistant at Critical Data Recovery. This pivotal experience equipped him to handle data recovery intricacies and excel in customer-focused roles. Obeid brings both education and experience to the table to provide fantastic service.
Rand Attallah, Outreach Intern, (she/her)
Rand is an intern with the Outreach team. She is a rising sophomore at The George Washington University and is pursuing both International Affairs and International Business. She grew up in Abu Dhabi, UAE but is originally Jordanian and Palestinian. She has previously worked toward improving refugee rights and educational disparities, and is excited for her role with the Center to promote tax filing assistance and work with an institute that informs and shapes public policies to reduce poverty, promote equity, and build opportunity. She has a particular interest International Development and hopes to continue to build a bridge and provide resources and assistance to disadvantaged individuals.
Shania Hurtado, Housing Intern, (she/her)
Shania is an intern with the Housing Policy team. She is a junior at Harvard College majoring in Government with a minor in Computer Science. Shania's past experience includes conducting research on numerous policy-related projects at Harvard and interning with a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas and in the Office of Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29). She is the Advocacy Associate for Latinas Unidas de Harvard College, serves as an Editorial Board Editor for The Harvard Crimson, and volunteers at Sociedad Latina and the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter. In her free time, Shania loves to go on runs, read books, and dance.
Sonali Master, SFP Research Intern, (she/her/hers)
Sonali is an intern with the State Fiscal Policy team. Her passions include finding ways to improve the economy for women, children, and families everywhere. She recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She also spent time studying abroad at the University of Sussex. Earlier this year she interned for the Ways and Means Committee in the Georgia House of Representatives. She has also spent time working for the communications team at the Democratic Party of Georgia and on the implementation of the Global Child Thrive Act at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Tonanzhit Auguas, Income Security Intern, (she/her/hers)
Tonanziht is an intern with the Income Security team. She is an incoming Master’s of Public Policy student at the Harris School of Public Policy and a Pearson Fellow. Her areas of interest include education, labor, and economic policy. Tonanziht currently serves as a Research Fellow for a guaranteed income pilot program in Newark. Prior to coming to the University of Chicago, Tonanziht worked at Cooperman College Scholars (CCS) in Newark, New Jersey. In this capacity, Tonanziht assisted CCS’ Director of College Success with outreach and support for college-bound Greater Newark youth. Previously, Tonanziht was a policy intern at the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, a fellow at the Center for Security, Race and Rights at the Rutgers Law School, and a higher education policy intern at New America. Tonanziht earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Newark Campus. During her undergraduate years, Tonanziht was an Eagleton-Washington Award recipient, a research fellow for the Rutgers International Institute for Peace, and a scholar for the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice.
Tomoki Otani, Communications Intern, (he/him/his)
Tomoki Otani is a Communications Intern on the Communications team. Prior to joining the Center, he interned for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva. Some of his projects have included research on the impact of tourism on housing opportunities, presentations on the effects of global biodiversity loss, and providing support for the UNECE at COP27. Tomoki graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Politics and International Relations and a master’s degree in International Relations and Business Management from the University of Aberdeen.