2024 Interns

Johntrell Bowles, Yale University
Placement: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission

Johntrell Bowles is a second-year Master of Public Health candidate at Yale University, specializing in Social and Behavioral Sciences with a concentration in Global Health. His early impressions of the integral role of social insurance programs began at seven, as he grew up in an impoverished community reliant on social programs like Medicaid, Section 8, and SNAP, where he later realized the importance of these programs in providing healthcare, food, and stability. During his time at the Social Security Administration, he deepened his commitment to social insurance policy. Johntrell’s research focuses on public health insurers in the U.S. and their impact on poverty and minority participation in public health politics. As the Rashi Fein Health Policy Intern, he will work with MACPAC to update their inventory of evaluations of integrated care programs, assist with stakeholder interviews for the timely access project, and contribute to updating the Compendium of State Medicaid Payment Policies for Medicare Cost Sharing.

Taylor Carty, University of California
Placement: Urban Institute

Taylor Carty is a Master of Public Health candidate in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of California, Los Angeles. Through her experiences at Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, working with patients suffering from neurological disorders, and the ABLE National Resource Center, where she helps educates the public about ABLE accounts, Taylor saw the immense impact that social programs like Medicare could have on improving the health and quality of life of people with disabilities. However, she also frequently witnessed the challenges individuals and families had to face in trying to obtain and maintain their benefits, and Taylor became passionate about helping them overcome these challenges through health policy. As the Eileen Sweeney Graduate Intern in Disability Policy, Taylor will be working with the Urban Institute’s Disability Equity Policy Initiative team on projects focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities, such as affordable, accessible housing.

Amira Elmansoury, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 
Placement: Family Values @ Work

Amira Elmansoury recently graduated with a B.S. in Public Health Sciences from UMass Amherst and will pursue an accelerated Master’s in Health Policy and Management this fall. Her interest in social insurance was sparked by learning how social determinants create disparities in accessing healthcare. As Student Government Secretary of Health and Wellbeing, Amira has experience working on policy and passed a motion through the undergraduate senate for a multi-faith space on campus this semester. With experience in policy writing, op-eds, and memos from her coursework, she is passionate about the policy side of public health. This summer, as the Leeba Lessin Intern on Health and Medicare Policy, Amira will research and document state policies around Paid Family and Medical Leave, Paid Sick Days, and Childcare for Family Values @ Work’s state dossiers.

Ayesha Khan, CUNY School of Medicine
Placement: Committee on Ways and Means

Ayesha Khan is a rising second-year medical student at CUNY School of Medicine. She wants to address health needs and provide primary care for underserved communities, especially global communities adversely affected by the climate crisis. She is deeply interested in how social programs can be developed to prepare and care for people facing environmental devastation. Her involvement has ranged from organizing for improved healthcare access to contributing to research on climate and health impacts. As a Congressman Pete Stark Health Policy intern, Ayesha will work at the Committee of Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health.

Jacob Moore, University of Virginia 
Placement: National Institute on Retirement Security

Jacob Moore is MPP candidate at the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. His policy areas of interest include poverty reduction, social welfare programs, and labor rights. His deep commitment to eradicating poverty informs his interest in social insurance as a source of social welfare and financial security. He has worked as a research assistant for the Center for Survey Research at the University of Virginia since last summer working to provide crucial insight to clients on projects that benefit the public. As the Merton Bernstein Intern on Social Insurance, Jacob will be working with the National Institute on Retirement Security to utilize survey data to investigate how age relates to fears about Social Security solvency.

Aparna Ramakrishnan, University of Illinois Chicago
Placement: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission

Aparna Ramakrishnan is a rising junior at the University of Illinois Chicago. Aparna is a part of the BS/MD program, double majoring in public policy and integrated health studies, and intends to become a physician-advocate. She is interested in social insurance as it directly impacts patient access to healthcare services and can influence overall healthcare outcomes. Aparna is particularly interested in health insurance and ensuring that essential services are available to marginalized populations. Aparna has extensive experience in behavioral health, having published two papers on the intersection of mental health and technology as well as passing HB1778 in Illinois, which put suicide prevention lines on the backs of student identification cards. She is currently working with Representative Stave-Murray on HB4586, mandating schools notify parents and students of accessible mental health resources, as well as launching her project on the physician-patient relationship. As the Somers Research Intern on Long-Term Care and Aging, Aparna will work with the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission on behavioral health access.

Renee Wu, Johns Hopkins University
Placement: Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group

Renee Wu is a rising senior at Johns Hopkins University, majoring in International Studies, Sociology, and Economics. She is passionate about enhancing social insurance policies to address critical social justice issues, with a specific interest in reducing social inequalities and protecting workers’ rights. Over the years, Renee has participated in research projects on global labor movements, Egyptian migrant workers, and workplace gender equality. This summer, as the John Burton Intern on Workers’ Compensation, she will work with the Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group to research current trends and potential challenges in workers’ injury laws and protections.