Batch 7: Thank You

Dear CSA,

Thank you for the wonderful experience that I am humbled to have been a part of over the past three months. I have learned all that I intended plus plenty more. This was an experience that I will never forget, as I will be able to take a lot of what I learned and use it in my future career. I truly do believe that you have set me up for success in my future career. You have put a lot of time into me and the work that I have produced over the past couple months, and I thank you for that. It was a pleasure working with each and every one of you and I look forward to keeping in touch and sharing success stories in the the future. Again, thank you CSA.


Sincerely,

Ryne

Batch 7: Conclusion

CSA has offered such an amazing opportunity for growing in the public sector and gaining skills that will be useful going forward in my career. It's has been such a wonderful experience working with all the employees at CSA, as they all had a major influence on the work I did and the skills I have acquired.

There were several important things that I have learned from CSA. I have learned so much about research, expanding my research skills tremendously. I have had to do some research for school related assignment, but never really had to put those skills to use in a real-world work environment. Through my internship, I was able to do all different sorts of research, utilizing many different resources. Another important skill I gained is using Microsoft Excel. I would consider myself proficient in Microsoft Excel after all the work I did using it throughout the three months working at CSA. I also gained a better understanding of organization, time-management, and presenting information. I have acquired skills through CSA that are invaluable. CSA consists of such a wonderful group of people that I was happy to work for.

I would say I have met all three goals and some. I have improved my research skills, was able to meet so many people throughout the state of AZ, and also have a much clearer idea of what CSA does and the importance of their work. Just an overall great experience. I would recommend an internship at CSA to any students who are actively looking for an internship in the public sector.

Batch 6: Career Service Write-Up #2

I attended a job fair in the Phoenix area that was very beneficial. Although I did not end up taking a job from any employers I spoke with, I did get offered two positions. I met with Aetna and Mayo Clinic at this particular job fair and then had an interview with both companies a couple days later. I think both opportunities were great, I just happened to be interviewing for an even better opportunity at the same time.

The job I ended up taking was a healthcare IT consulting position for Cumberland Consulting Group. This position will be a great fit and actually uses both my Master's and my Bachelor's degrees. I got my Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration at NIU, which made me quite unsure if I was ever actually going to use this degree. I have been applying for positions that can utilize that degree and and also the MPA that I am currently working on and almost done with. It has been a stressful journey, but I am beyond excited to start this next chapter in my life.

Batch 6: Free Write

I am going to use this post to talk about how thankful I am to have the internship at CSA and work with such wonderful people. Over the past couple months, the employees at CSA have helped introduce me to as many people as possible so I can have a job lined up by the end of the internship. I have also had meetings with members in both the house and senate to discuss future internships and full-time employment opportunities. I even went to the Gammage and Burnham Law Firm for an interview. I am beyond thankful for all the support and help I have gotten from CSA, as they want to make sure that my path in this field continues after the internship ends.

I ended up getting a job offer from a consulting firm, which I will be starting in December. I could not have done it without the help of CSA. They have helped me prep for my interviews and given me great advice. They truly want what's best for their interns. As I start my new job at Cumberland Consulting come December, I know that I will be able to take a great amount of the knowledge I gained at CSA and use it in the field of consulting. I look forward to my future, thank you CSA.

Batch 6: Free Write

This past week I was able to go on a tour at the juvenile facility that is located in Phoenix. This was a very unique experience, as I did not know what to expect going into it. This building was massive and had kids from ages 9-18 in it. Seeing a young boy at the age of 9 in this facility was not a pleasant site, as I personally believe this is way to young and in a sense unethical. The building was secured very well and alarmed at every door to make sure no one escapes or tries escaping.

Most kids that go to this facility are just brought in for a day or a couple days. The purpose of this facility is to scare kids so that they do not commit a crime again, especially the same one. This facility usually holds kids up until their court date and then they are released. There are several kids that are in there for much longer terms and actually attend classes within the walls of the facility due to repeatedly finding themselves back at the juvenile home for crimes that have been committed. Overall, it was an experience that made my stomach a little uneasy, but I also understand that its sole purpose is to better a child's life and get them back on the right path in life.

Batch 6: Strengths

I feel CSA has many strengths and very minimal weaknesses. A few of their major strengths are time management, presentation skills, lobbying, and leadership skills. Maybe one weakness would be being over worked at times which could alter decision making. I mention this weakness because they do work 10-12 hours a days most of the time which can really take a toll on them. I have seen certain instances where this has shown to have an impact on their daily work.

Time management is the most important strength due to the amount of work that comes to CSA's attention on a daily basis. There are always projects for each employee to work on. Presentation skills (which ties into the lobbying) are important to CSA because they need to be able to use their knowledge they have attained to convince others about the best possible situation with each topic that is discussed. There are many debates going on around the state on a daily basis and CSA has to make sure they are clear with their points in order to get their points across, keeping in mind the people's best interest. Finally, leadership skills are acquired by all employees because they need to be able to lead all 15 counties and help guide them down the best paths for success. This is much easier said, than done.

The only thing I would change, if this was my own organization, is the amount of hours that are worked. This department is made up of six employees. Therefore, I would hire more employees to divide the workload up and get everyone closer to a more standard work week. At times, to many hours in a week can really take a toll on those working for CSA.

Batch 5: Free Write

Over the course of my internship I have had the opportunity to expand on my research skills. As I am sure we can all attest to, there is plenty of research required in school. But how many of us has the opportunity to take the skills acquired and use them in the real world? CSA made it clear upon being hired, that research will become a intricate part of the internship. I have had to do several research project already and continue to expand my research skills as the internship progresses.

At CSA, we have a library with statutes and meeting minutes that dat as far back as the early 1900s. It has been beyond interesting being able to utilize these resources in order to get answers that comply to work being done in the present time. I recently got registered and got and ID card from the Arizona archive office. This card allows me to have access to any information that is available at the Arizona archive building. I have used it a couple times not and I have just been amazed by the service this department offers. Their research skills are off the charts and whenever I have a question, they are able to help me resolve it in no time. Research is a valuable tool that we all should continue to work on and expand our skills set as much as possible. No matter where we work, there will always be some sort of research that will need to be done.

Batch 5: How does your organization demonstrate public service and/or urban governance?

CSA is required to always look out for the public's best interest. As I have explained in a previous post, CSA looks over all 15 counties, each county consisting of county supervisors. CSA is made up of 5 lobbyist that are to constantly work for the people's best interest. This is what makes their roles so important and also highly respected. CSA is heavily involved in decisions being made on a daily basis around the state. I feel that this is directly correlated with urban governance. Since CSA works with both the house and senate, as well as many government officials around the state, there is a domino effect that occurs from the top down. Essentially, the lobbying that CSA does, eventually impacts the citizens at some point in time, having a lag effect.

CSA has a crucial role in Arizona. It's important that they do their jobs and are constantly keeping the people's interest in mind. At times, money can begin to play a big role in politics, especially lobbying. It's important for money to not interfere with the employees's of CSA's everyday job duties. These employees are to stay loyal to the people and their obligations. I have enjoyed my experience thus far and continue to enjoy all the great work that is being done day in and day out at CSA.

Batch 5: Free Write

I was given the task of working on a bill that has to do with tax levying. The goal is to alter a formula in order to make more sense and be directly correlated with the statute that is currently in place for tax levying. The problem is, the citizens of Arizona think their tax rates have increased, when in reality, the levy has increased and the tax rate has actually gone down if not, stayed the same. The reason why there is confusion is because how the formula is set up. Although I am not able to present it on here due to confidentiality reasons, this bill will be presented in the legislative session for all those who pay attention to the many bills that are discussed at that time.

I mention this bill because it is the bill that requires the most time amongst all the bills I have worked on. I am not one that is good with numbers, therefore, this will be a challenge. My boss knows that math is a weakness of mine. Therefore, he said this was the best project for me because I will be able to build in an area I lack in. There is no doubt that this is going to be a tough project, as it has already taken me 2 entire days just to research the bill to understand it. I am not able to move forward, altering the formula, until I completely understand the purpose of tax levying and why this bill is of concern. Even though this will be a challenge, I look forward to working on this bill and gaining more knowledge in bill writing and tax levies.

Batch 5: Free Wtrite

Around this time of year, CSA tends to become very busy. There is a list of things to do and only so much time to get each one done. Meeting deadlines is an important part of working at CSA, all employees are aware of this, as times can be stressful. There is a major caucus coming up that will consist of CSA going over all the bills we have been working on. In attendance will be members from both the house and senate, as well as many lobbyists from all over Arizona. We also got the news that Liz Archuletta got second place in her election for NACo Second Vice President. Although this is a bit unfortunate, it only means she tends to run for US congress in the next election, as her resume has put her in great position to succeed. Also, we have several meetings coming up to discuss numerous topics with other government officials. It will be a busy month for CSA.

To elaborate a little bit more on the caucus that is around the corner. Basically, all the bills we have worked on for the past several months, will be up for a vote at the meeting. Members of the meeting will vote on if they think the bill should go on to the state legislature when the session begins (The second Monday following Jan. 1st). After this voting is done, we take another vote on level of importance for each bill. Essentially, we want to figure out if a bill should be introduced right away because it could take a while to process or if it can be introduced toward the end of the legislative session (the session lasts approx. 100 days). This meeting is very important and is done every year around this time to make sure all the pieces are in place and ready to go by the time the legislative session starts. There are hundreds of bills, therefore, it only makes sense to get as organized as possible by the time the session begins.

Batch 4: Leadership

Leadership plays an important role at CSA. Since I am only an intern, I have not been put in position to show leadership skills but I have seen great examples of it. Craig Sullivan is the Executive Director at CSA and on a daily basis he shows us leadership. He has a very important role in the organization and also has a tremendous impact on all 15 counties. In some way, shape, or form, all the employees of CSA have leadership skills and show these skills in some variation on a daily basis.

Craig, being the Executive Director, has the most important role in the department. I do not see Craig very often, as he is in and out of the office every day. He travels a lot for meetings and presentations. We do have a department meeting every Monday morning, in which he is head of. This meeting will take about an hour but sometimes runs longer depending on the workload for the week and upcoming months. Craig has been sat CSA for 12 years now and has a sound understanding of government and the way it works. He is knowledgeable in so many different areas and it shows as he is constantly giving advice to those who work in the department and also others around the state. We have a caucus coming up, in which members of the House, Senate, and some lobbyist will be in attendance. At this meeting, Craig will present the bills we have been working on and they will begin to prepare for the legislative session, which begins after the first of the year. Craig is very good about keeping himself available by phone, email, or in person, which is great for those working underneath him, If a problem arises, getting in touch with Craig is usually not a problem. I feel that he has valuable leadership skills and I look forward to continuing to learn from him.

Batch 4: Free Write

I recently worked on a couple different project for CSA. I have continued to piece together a binder with the budgets from all 15 counties. In the process of doing so, I have begun an Excel document that has more statistical data in it that is related to the budgets I have received. When I began this internship, I was mediocre using Excel, at best. Through this internship, I have gained many useful skills in not just Excel, but also, Word, PowerPoint, and Publisher. I feel that I am becoming proficient in each one of these, which will be very useful when I begin my career.

On another note, this is my first semester being a Graduate Student Assistant. I am currently teaching two courses for the Master's of Emergency Management and Homeland Security program. This has been a wonderful experience so far. I have had the opportunity of gaining knowledge outside of my field of study and I have found this subject area to be very interesting. I look forward to working with the students and learning the material in the remainder of the semester.

Batch 4: Interview

I interviewed Kristin Cipolla from County Supervisors Association (CSA) because I feel that we have a lot in common and share a similar interest in the career path we wish to pursue. Kristin has been at CSA for 4 years now and has the title of Legislative Liaison. Kristin started off working in the House of Representatives as a research analyst and then moved across the street and began working at CSA in 2012. She does wonderful work for CSA and they are proud to have her on their team.

Kristin's main responsibilities are bill writing, attend hearings, create newsletters, attend meetings, and lobbying. She chose this career based off her strong communication skills and desire to help others in the community. She knows that when she comes into work every day she has the ability to better lives around her. A Bachelor's degree is needed for this position and she happens to have a Bachelor's and a Master's degree. Kristin gave me the advice of getting to know as many people as possible because that is how you build relationships, get jobs, and better the community as a whole. I have already met so many people in politics and look forward to all the others I will meet throughout this internship. I can see myself working along side several of the people I have met so far and I think this field of work is a great fit for me.

Blog 3: Free Write

For only living in Arizona for a short period of time, I have been trying to adjust to the brutal heat. I have seen 100+ degrees very minimal times in my entire life living in Illinois, so it's quite the adjustment seeing that kind of heat every single day. On the bright side, I keep telling myself, just wait until winter. This will be my first winter outside of the midwest and I am stoked for the beautiful weather that is to come! Overall, the transition out west has been a bit overwhelming, yet very interesting. The way people do things out here is completely different from the lifestyle in the midwest. The gun laws have thrown me off a bit as well, it truly is the "wild west." Overall, the eating habits out west seem to be healthier, as I am finding there are not a lot of places to go for deep fried food, which is all we have in my hometown back in Illinois. Also, I really enjoy the scenery out here, so many great views to look at everywhere I go!

I started a new book series recently, called Game of Thrones. I am current with all the episodes in the T.V. series and was told that the books (like majority of books) are much better than the television series. I am on the first book, but must say, if you have interest in Game of Thrones and you have not read the books, it is a MUST READ! The author, George Martin, has a unique way of writing and an interesting choice of words. Also, it is incredible how detailed his writing is. I am only about 3/4 the way through the first book and I am so impressed by how much better it is then the show. Also, there are over 1,000 characters throughout the entire book series, which does make it a somewhat difficult read.

Blog 3: Free Write

I was able to experience a very interesting and historic part of the state today. A woman from my department gave me a tour of the state capitol museum. Being from Illinois and living there my entire life up until a couple months ago, Illinois is all I have ever known. I am very unfamiliar with the state of Arizona government and how things work in this state in general. The woman mentioned that it would be a great experience and a great step in this intricate learning process.

The state capitol museum consists of three floors and is behind the new capital building, but still connected. It's strictly used for tourist purposes only. I would say the coolest experience was being in one of the old hearing rooms where many famous people throughout history have worked. President Taft was among the many people who, at one point in time, was speaking and doing business in this room. Also, there was an office with a wax statue of Arizona's first Governor, George W. P. Hunt. Although the statue was a bit creepy, it was really interesting seeing what took place in that specific room and all the documents that they had in there, including the states constitution.

I recommend, if you have never been, check out this museum and learn all about the state's history. It was such a wonderful experience. Once I got back to the office, the executive director gave me a book on the Arizona constitution and history, which I look forward to diving into!

Blog 3: Career Service Write-Up

I attended the ASU job fair this week, which presented many opportunities for full-time employment. I have bene proactive in looking for a job, so when the internship ends, hopefully I can carry everything I have learned into a full time position. The job fair consisted of many different employers from a diverse group of occupations. I personally talked with five different employers, 2 in which I felt would be a great fit for myself. Those two were Health Service Advisory Group and The Office of the Auditor General.

The Office of the Auditor General consisted of positions that obviously involve auditing. Although, this would be completely new to me, I feel that my current work at the internship can be a great building block for some of the work that I would be performing at this job. Health Service Advisory Groups, also known as HSAG, has a project coordinator position open, which I feel would suit me well. I received my bachelor's from NIU in healthcare administration and now I am working on my master's in public administration at ASU. I feel that these degrees and the work experience from my healthcare internship and current internship at CSA would bring success working as a project coordinator. The woman I spoke with took notice in all the research experience I have and said that I would be working more on the analytical research side of the things, if all works out.

Overall, this was an awesome networking event that ASU held for their students. I was able to meet with several people and have really good discussion about employment opportunities. I look forward to reconnecting with these individuals in the future!

Blog 3: Free Write

Hello Everyone,

A new week has brought on a new project. First, I would like to make a quick comment based on one of my post's last week. Liz Archuleta has left Arizona and has begun interviewing in different states using the packet of information that I put together last week for her. I wish her the best and I will keep everyone posted on how the election turns out for the position of NACo 2nd Vice President. On another note, a new week in the office has brought on a new project that will be done over the course of the next couple weeks as more information is presented to the department and myself.

Basically, I am putting a folder together that contains all the budgets for all 15 counties. We are in that stage where most counties are beginning to put their tentative budgets together, therefore,  I am trying to get all the tentative budgets together and briefly scan over them to make sure everything makes sense. As time goes on, each county will begin to send over their adopted budgets for the new fiscal year.

We have meetings coming up in Navajo County, where we will sit in and listed to several different counties discuss their budget and need for more funding. As we all know, the financial situation differs tremendously from county to county. There will be attorneys, a few members from the house and senate, the policy analyst from CSA, and a few others sitting in on the meetings. I will briefly discuss what happens in these meetings at another time, once they occur.

Blog 2: What is a typical day like?

Although, I just recently started this internship at CSA, I am finding out that my typical day consist of mainly being in the office with the opportunity of attending a few meetings, when on the schedule. When I get to work in the morning, I check in with my boss and see what's on the agenda for the day. If I am working on a project, we tend to just go over any questions I may have with the project and then discuss any meetings that are happening that day or in the near future. I have my own desk, computer, filing system, supplies, etc.

This is a fast paced work environment, with a lot going on at once. In the department is the executive director, policy analyst, legislative liaison, director of legislative affairs, and the secretary. Everyone in this department, except the secretary, is a registered lobbyist. With that being said, the employees are in and out throughout the day attending meetings. I work at my desk for the majority of the day, but I do get out when meetings arise that I am able to attend, or if there is a hearing going on at the state house of representatives or state senate. I feel comfortable in the environment that I work in, but it can get a bit overwhelming at times. Everyone I work with is very helpful and polite. I could definitely see myself working in an environment like this for my career!

Blog 2: Free Write

I had the opportunity to attend a hearing in the Senate that covered topics such as tribal roads, schooling for Native American children and the possibility of implementing the indian school bus route maintenance program. There were a few senate and house members, as well as tribal members in attendance. Basically, there is a demand for more tax money to be allocated to better the school systems, roads to get to those schools, and the bus systems that allow the children to get to school safely.

States and counties that have indian reservations within their borders share an interest in tribal roads because both tribal members and non-members use them. To be certified by the state and comply with state and county school standards, each school must be accessible. There are still schools throughout Arizona that have dirt roads as the only access point to the school. The lowest grades around the state come from rural school districts, the biggest reason being lack of attendance. Funding is necessary in order to help desperate areas in Arizona and to raise the success rates of children going through school systems in these areas.

I had the opportunity to personally meet Senator Begay at this meeting and a few other members from the AD Hoc Committee. Once the hearing was adjourned, I went on to create a newsletter for the counties regarding the hearing. This was a wonderful experience and I look forward to attending other hearings in the upcoming weeks.

Blog 2: Free Write

The first week of work was quite interesting and very fast paced, which was a little overwhelming because I was expecting more of a slow week to ease into the role. The first project given to me was to help Liz Archuleta, who is a County Supervisor from Coconino, prepare for her election for NACo 2nd Vice President. NACo is the National Association of Counties. I worked on a document for her that consisted of 54 pages of information to help her quickly prepare for each interview she will be going to. Basically, because she will be meeting with so many people in the next couple weeks from all over the US, she will not have the time to do research herself, and find out information about all the people she will be meeting with.

The document I created for Liz did end up taking me the entire first week of work to complete. It was an enjoyable experience, being able to familiarize myself with many faces around the country, current bills that are being worked on, and other miscellaneous information. By the end of the week, I was able to give Liz a packet that consisted of information for all 50 states. The importance of this document is for Liz to be able to flip to the page that corresponds with the state that she is in, so she can familiarize herself with the faces and names of the people she will be meeting with and the current government related information that has been of debate recently, all at a quick glance. In a future blog, I will mention how the election turned out for Liz.

Blog 2: Where do I work?

The organization I am working for is the County Supervisors Association (CSA) of Arizona. This specific organization collaborates with all 15 counties in the state of Arizona. County supervisors provides regional leadership over critical policy areas, including policies necessary to ensure safe communities, protect public health, promote economic development, and plan and manage land use for sustainable development. Specifically, CSA has worked together as a non-partisan forum for county officials, delivering efficient, responsive local public services. Within the CSA membership are 61 elected supervisors through out the 15 counties of Arizona.

Over the course of my internship, I will have the opportunity of meeting several county supervisors by attending meetings. Additionally, I will be working on newsletters, conducting analytical research, working with budgets, gathering information for candidates running for positions, attending legislative hearings in both the house and senate, and finally attending general meetings.

Introduction

Hi Everyone!

My name is Ryne Denis. I am an intern at the County Supervisors Association (CSA) of Arizona. The three goals that I hope to achieve through this internship are as follows:

1. I would like to gain a better understanding of what exactly CSA does on a daily basis and to whom they are benefiting with their work.

2. I would like to build on my analytical research skills, consuming as much information as possible. I would also like to work with the policies that are currently being dealt with and also do some bill writing to gain a better understanding of the language used.

3. Since I just recently moved to Arizona from Illinois, I would really enjoy getting out of the office and meeting as many people as possible. This can happen in many ways, such as: going to meetings, going on tours of different facilities around the state, attending hearings in the house and senate, and just being introduced to people in general when they come and go.

I look forward to my experience with CSA!