Summer 2024 Public Policy Intern Departs and Reflects on Time with NCUIH

Eli Allen (Cherokee), National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) Policy Intern

The summer of 2024 marked my second year as a Public Policy Intern at NCUIH. As I prepare to enter my third year at UCLA, majoring in Geography and Environmental Studies, this internship has been both a fun and insightful experience.

Working at NCUIH has given me a firsthand look into the world of public policy, which is a timely and intricate process. I’ve gained a deep appreciation for the amount of time and effort that goes into crafting policies that directly impact urban Native Americans. Over this summer, I worked on several projects such as compiling NCUIH’s official actions on our top policy priorities such as Traditional Healing, Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, and Medicaid; provided an analysis of the Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women’s Tribal Consultation Annual Report; created remarks and materials for senior leadership to effectively communicate complex concepts and strategies regarding urban Native healthcare; updated NCUIH’s Knowledge Resource Center (KRC), which is an online hub of informational tools to educate Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs), policymakers, federal officials, and the public on Urban Indian health; and attended calls and meetings with federal agency leaders, congressional offices, and Indian Country partner organizations. It’s been incredibly rewarding to witness the behind-the-scenes work that shapes change.

One of my favorite parts during my internship was spending the month of August in Washington, DC, working in person. This experience provided me with a new perspective on both work culture and the unique environment of DC. Being able to immerse myself in the daily work life of a public policy office gave me a valuable perspective that I wouldn’t have gained otherwise.

I am deeply grateful to the Vice President of Policy and Communications, Meredith Raimondi, the Public Policy Manager, Mary Jomia, and the entire NCUIH team for giving me the opportunity to work with them again this summer. The experiences and knowledge I’ve gained over these two summers will undoubtedly shape my future endeavors in public policy and advocacy.