Alessandra B.

Internship: Fall 2009
College: Georgetown University
Hometown: Houston, TX
Section: Training/Communications

• - Customer relations
• - Support for Training Academy scholarships
• - Kept track of database
• - Campaigned in Maine for No on 1
• - Updated the website
• - Helped to choose candidates for endorsements

Favorite Part: I like working in Burlington at the national office. The people there were wonderful and the working environment was great.

Why DFA: After the Democratic successes in 2008, I wanted to help continue Howard Dean’s 50 state strategy. I am also passionate about the issues that DFA fights for.

Where are you now: White House Intern at Council on Environmental Quality

Dan W.

Internship: Fall 2009
College: Miami University in Ohio
Hometown: West Milton, OH
Section: Finance

• - Worked with the day to day financial records
• - Staffed a fundraiser for Peter Welch
• - Organized a vigil in support of health care reform in front of Senator Sanders’ Burlington Office.

Favorite Part: Burlington is a fascinating city, and I loved the summer in Vermont.

Why DFA: The issues that DFA stands for and issues that I wanted to work towards accomplishing. I am also a big fan of Howard Dean.

Where are you now: I am currently an intern at Thomas B. Fordham Institute in Columbus OH.

Haynes B.

Internship: Summer 2009
College: George Washington University
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Section: Field/Political

• - Health care reform
• - Targeted Senators to get them on the record about the public option
• - Polling projects

Favorite Part: I loved working with everyone there. They are a great group of people, a lot of fun and everyone is really nice. Vermont is great in the summer.

Why DFA: I had been on the email list for awhile and found out that they were looking for interns to work on the health care campaign. Health reform is a big issue and I wanted to do my part.

Where are you now: Student

Joe F.

Internship: Summer 2009
College: Syracuse University
Hometown: Granville, NY
Section: Communications

• - Promoting the public option and the health care debate
• - Researching Members of Congress’ positions on the health care debate.
• - Writing Press releases about the Congressmen.

Favorite Part: The group of interns that DFA selects are great, they come from all over the place, from Canada to Texas to New England. It was a great mix of people of the same age but with different college majors and backgrounds.

Why DFA: I was interning in the British Parliament in 2009 for the Liberal Democrats (a mix of our Green and Libertarian Parties), and Howard Dean was the guest speaker at the spring conference that I staffed. When I went to interview him, he noticed that I was the only one who didn’t have an accent and we hit it off. We talked about what he was working on at DFA and I was sold.

Where are you now: I am finishing up my senior year of college and will be attending graduate school next year.

Shawn W.

Internship: Summer 2009
College: Indiana University
Hometown: Knox, IN
Section: Training

• - Wrote the organizing chapter for campaign academy manual
• - Developed the national training proposal
• - Worked on online and in person training

Favorite Part: The environment at DFA is unlike anything else in politics, it is friendly and family oriented. Everyone is willing to lend a hand or help out in anyway that they can.

Why DFA: I wanted to get a chance to work in a national political environment where I would be able to make a difference. With an internship on Capital Hill, I would have been folding letters all day. At DFA, I was given responsibility for large projects and told to run with them.

Where are you now: I am on the Indiana Secretary of State’s Communication Staff.

Will D.

Internship: Spring 2009
College: University of Vermont
Hometown: East Montpelier, VT
Section: Field

• - Worked on mailings to VA and NJ for the gubernatorial elections in the fall
• - Worked on linking up people with local groups

Favorite Part: DFA is a national scale political operation that works on the local level. It is great seeing the impact of our work each and everyday in the news and the feeling that comes with making changes happen is inspiring.

Why DFA: I grew up in Vermont and have always been a fan of Howard Dean. I heard about DFA through a former intern who had a lot of fun and said it was a great group of people to work with.

Where are you now: I am working for AmeriCorps VISTA in Boulder, CO.

Franco C.

Internship: Summer 2007
College: Florida International University
Hometown: Miami, FL
Section: Field

• - Worked on Micheal Moore’s Sicko movie campaign
• - Helped organize a press conference with then Senator Obama and Senator Durgan about health care horror stories
• - Created the DFA campus corps

Favorite Part: Everything was awesome, the people were awesome and the organization was awesome. You learn so much more at DFA than anything you would do in DC, I didn’t spend my time getting coffee for anyone, but rather had projects to work on. You don’t realize it while you’re there, but you do and learn a lot.

Why DFA: I love working for progressive groups and there isn’t a better progressive organization than DFA.

Where are you now: Student

Mike C.

Internship: Summer 2007
College: Appalachian State University
Hometown: North Wilkesboro, NC
Section: Communications

• - Blog posts
• - Compiling press clips

Favorite Part: The office was definitely the best part. Everyone was friendly and laid back. The first day of work, I walked in wearing khakis and a tie and everyone else was wearing t-shirts and shorts.

Why DFA: I was involved in the 2006 elections and wanted to do more with politics and learn how to be more effective in big races, not just local ones. I have never looked back since.

Where are you now: I am the Volunteer Coordinator for Cal Cunningham whose running for US Senate in North Carolina.

Scott G.

Internship: Summer 2004
College: American University
Hometown: Marlton, NJ
Section: Field/Political

• - Selected candidates for Gov. Dean´s endorsement under the Dean Dozen
• - Processed and organized DFA related events
• - Worked on increasing youth participation in DFA.

Favorite Part: The DFA culture is awesome. It has the best workplace atmosphere and the people are all very down to earth and dedicated. Being around other DFAers was inspiring as well as fun.

Why DFA: I was inspired by Howard Dean´s 2004 presidential campaign and wanted to make a difference.

Where are you now: I am currently teaching English in Cusco, Peru. I also run the website RunForOffice.org which encourages young people and other activists to run for office by providing the information and tools they need to start a campaign.