Get to Know Our 2023 Summer Interns
Published: July 27, 2023
This summer, five interns have joined the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation to help advance our mission to find cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the quality of life of children and adults living with these diseases.
In honor of National Intern Day, find out what they’ve learned and the ways in which they are using insights from their undergraduate and graduate programs in their roles, and see why we enjoyed having them as valuable members of our team this summer!
Sakshi Malaviya, User Experience Design Intern
Sakshi is a graduate student at Rutgers University studying User Experience Design.
As a User Experience Design Intern, Sakshi is redesigning the Foundation’s biosample data dashboard and designing a website to simplify the bio-management system.
“The biggest thing I have learned is to work in a way that utilizes the stakeholder's user needs but also understand the developer's restrictions on the design changes that I make,” Sakshi says.
Abby Cody, Scientific Communication Intern
Abby is an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin – Madison majoring in global health, with minors in science communication and graphic design.
As a Scientific Communication Intern, Abby is working to help the Research team build out a stronger social media presence. She is creating a playbook for future social media usage, as well as designing materials that explain the scale and impact of our IBD Plexus® database and biobank platform.
“I've learned how to be a lot more adaptive and collaborative in my work, as everything I'm working on has to fit with multiple people's expectations,” Abby says. “For example, designing an infographic has to fit within the Foundation's brand guidelines, use the correct reading level, appeal to patients, and have informative and accurate information for researchers.”
Hari Priya Goud, Marketing (SEO) Intern
Priya is a graduate student at Pace University Lubin School of Business studying marketing analytics.
As a Marketing (SEO) intern, Priya is working on developing effective SEO strategies and implementing tactics to optimize the Foundation’s website. She is solidifying the Foundation’s SEO approach, improving website performance in organic search results, and driving strategic growth in the organization's target audience.
“These past few weeks have been full of amazing experiences,” she says. “Apart from learning more about SEO, I have also learned valuable skills related to time management and relationship maintenance in the office. I have gained experience in organizing my workflow to ensure that I deliver quality work within the given timeframe.”
Gabriela Angelkoska, Finance Intern
Gabriela is an undergraduate student at Stevens Institute of Technology, studying business and technology with concentrations in finance and computer science and pursing a minor in quantitative Finance.
As a Finance Intern, Gabriela is gaining experience in various aspects of finance and accounting. She is working on journal entries, bank reconciliation, and cashflows.
“This role has allowed me the opportunity to learn about the financial operations specific to nonprofit organizations and understand the sources of nonprofit revenue,” Gabriela says.
Gabrielle Lee, People and Culture Intern
Gabrielle is a recent graduate from the University at Buffalo with a degree in business administration and concentration in human resources and marketing.
As a People and Culture Intern, Gabrielle is primarily researching the best human resources (HR) information system for the Foundation’s HR team. She is also working on the Foundation’s monthly Manager sessions and Mentorship program.
One bonus learning experience for Gabrielle is working in an in-person setting. “I've only ever been remote before, so this has definitely been a great experience,” she says.