Liz Berman

Degree program: Master of Public Policy 2019

Hometown: Concord, Massachusetts

Where I interned: Freedom for All Massachusetts – Yes on 3, a ballot question campaign that aimed to add gender identity as a protected category in the Commonwealth’s public accommodations law, alongside age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, religion, and marital status.

What I did there: As the finance fellow, I assisted with creating, implementing, and managing a $5 million fundraising plan and budget; organizing donor databases; and crafting language about the Finance Department’s activities that could be disseminated to a wide audience. This funding helped secure 67.8 percent of the votes and a victory in November 2018.

The most important thing I learned: One of the most important things I learned was supporting and maintaining professional relationships. These relationships are not just important for the current role you are in, but for future roles as well. In the seemingly small world of state politics, who you know can impact your ability to spread awareness about an issue, pass legislation, and raise money.

The most challenging part of my internship: Money is a sensitive topic for some individuals and businesses. It was challenging to find the right balance between lightly encouraging individuals and businesses to donate and putting too much pressure on the relationships we were trying to foster.

What surprised me the most: The state’s political circle is fairly small—if you do not know someone directly, someone else in your professional contacts does. I was surprised how willing people were to introduce you to their professional contacts to help the cause in any way possible.

Why I’m studying public policy: I want to advocate and make institutional changes for those that are unable to do so themselves.

Future plans: I hope to apply my background in business management and public policy to a role in the public or nonprofit sector.