Washington, D.C.

Meet our interns for our fall 2021 program in Washington, D.C.!

Reagan Giesenschlag The Fertilizer Institute Reagan Giesenschlag grew up in Burnet, Texas, and received her bachelor’s degree in Biological & Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&M in May 2021. She will be interning at The Fertilizer Institute during the fall of 2021. After interning in Washington D.C., she will be return to College Station to begin graduate school for a master’s degree in Engineering. During her undergraduate career, Reagan has participated in the Reuse Water Quality Research and Extensions Experience for Undergraduates (REEU) as a research fellow. She was a research assistant at the TAMU Bio-Energy Testing and Analysis Lab and an intern with TCEQ. Interest in water management attracted Reagan to study biological & agricultural engineering. Her involvement in REEU sparked enthusiasm for educating the public on sustainable water and wastewater practices. The work Reagan has done as a research assistant focuses on determining the potential of biological materials to be used as alternative sources of energy. After completing her studies, Reagan hopes to find a career path that allows her to use technical engineering knowledge to enact feasible and sustainable water policy. She is honored to have received the opportunity to learn about the policy-making process at the national level.

Emma Golightly National Association of Wheat Growers Emma Golightly is a sophomore at Texas A&M University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics with a concentration in Policy and Economic Analysis. She is a third-generation Aggie from West Columbia, Texas, where her passion for agriculture began when she joined her local FFA chapter. Encouraged by her Ag teacher to run as an officer, she was elected Vice President of her chapter. As she became more involved in FFA, her passion continued to grow, and she knew she wanted to pursue a career in the agriculture industry. After she began her time at A&M, she was exposed to agriculture policy and chose to make that her focus. She has always wanted to make a difference and give back to the industry that has given so much to her. Post undergrad, she plans to attend law school and study agriculture law. Emma will be interning at the National Association of Wheat Growers and hopes to gain more knowledge and experience about policy and its impact on agriculture.

Abigail Huie Office of Congressman Filemon Vela Abigail Huie is a senior Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Communications & Journalism double major at Texas A&M University. She admires the researched and values-driven ideas that policymakers bring to the table, as well as their dedication to helping production agriculture across America. Raised in a family-owned farming and ranching operation based in Beeville, Texas, those same values and innovative ideas helped shape who Abby is today. As a former communications intern at A&M United Methodist Church in College Station, Abby is passionate about using professional communications and media to reach, educate, and inspire others. In Washington, it is Abby’s goal to use her skills and resources to educate others and give back to the roots that raised her. She is currently most interested in international trade policy and how it directly impacts all U.S. producers, but is excited to broaden her interests and horizons. Abby will be interning in the office of Congressman Filemon Vela (TX-34) in the fall of 2021 and looks forward to experiencing the full circle of agricultural policy.

Victoria Izaguirre Office of Congressman Randy Weber Victoria Izaguirre is a recent Texas A&M graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in University Studies-Leadership, and a double minor in Extension Education and Sociology. Victoria is from McAllen, Texas where her close upbringing with ranching sparked her interest in Agriculture as a whole. Being able to witness how the USDA and NRCS play a critical role in land management and water resources from a young age, inspired her to want to positively impact the field of Agriculture. Therefore, throughout her time at Texas A&M, Victoria gained the opportunity to intern for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office in Comal County. While there, her interest in Family and Community Health grew, for she was able to learn about a variety of wellness programs such as ‘Better Living for Texans,’ and ‘Walk Across Texas’. Victoria also worked toward receiving her Master Wellness certification, and diversified her skillsets by also helping with the creation of 4-H program curriculum. Upon completing her internship, Victoria hopes to utilize knowledge learned to: create and implement national and international healthy living initiatives, enhance the incorporation of agricultural production with nutrition and physical activity, and reinforce the positive role farming and ranching has on agricultural sustainability.

Catherine Lawson Office of Congressman Kevin Brady Catherine Lawson is a recent Texas A&M graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and a minor in Public Health. She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She possesses a passion for medicine and public health. She hopes to learn more about the legislative process and public policy implementation so she can one day promote public health as a doctor. At Texas A&M she was involved in several student organizations where she was able to serve the College Station/Bryan community. Catherine most enjoyed volunteering at the Bryan Boys and Girls Club where she was able to mentor the students. She learned how much her voice and guidance mattered. Catherine was also a member of a research team that investigated adaptation and speciation of birds to better understand evolutionary processes. After interning in the fall of 2021, Catherine plans on pursuing her medical degree. She is eager to work with members of Congress and learn how to lead her own public service endeavors. This internship offers unique insight into how ideas may be established into effective policy which Catherine can one day apply in the field of Medicine. Overall, Catherine hopes to develop into a stronger professional and more involved member of society.

Cara London-Rushing Lix Cap Cara London is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and pursuing a certificate in international agricultural development. She holds her Bachelor of Science in Engineering, with concentrations in biology, anthropology, and management from Vanderbilt University. When she isn’t working, Cara enjoys experimenting with food and believes that the best place to understand someone is at the table. During her undergraduate career, Cara researched abroad in Honduras in collaboration with Zamarano University and INFOP-CENFA. This is where she decided to focus her passions for service and technology toward a new goal: agricultural development. Cara’s dissertation research is about the role of cultural factors in influencing the adoption and integration of post-harvest technology into low industrial value chains. She hopes to use her findings to influence policy decisions and hopes this experience will teach her more about the process of making a difference.

Jordan “Taylor” Mitchell Office of Congressman Michael Cloud Taylor Mitchell is a senior and first-generation Aggie, pursuing a double major in Renewable Natural Resources with an emphasis in Policy and in Ecological Restoration. Growing up, Taylor moved across the state of Texas, and this left him searching for a sense of belonging, which he has found in the outdoors. With his family’s hunting ranch, Taylor has had exposure and appreciation for wildlife and natural resources since a young age. Frequent camping, hiking, kayaking, and rock-climbing trips have only reinforced this appreciation for natural resources into a passion for Taylor. This passion has led Taylor to pursue a path within policy and pursue a law degree to become a conservation/preservation advocate for public lands, wildlife, and waterways. Before his time at Texas A&M, Taylor worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety for six years as a Court Liaison. During his time there, Taylor developed his interest in public policy. This subsequently resulted in his desire to pursue a path in public policy to fight for our nation’s natural resources. On campus, Taylor serves as the Vice President of Membership for the Maroon & White Leadership Program. He has learned to focus on leadership strengths, critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic feedback through mentoring and reflection. This fall, Taylor will be interning for Congressman Michael Cloud, where he is excited to implement his academic knowledge in a professional setting, get out of his comfort zone, and better understand the inner workings of public policy procedures that affect our natural resources. Taylor is ecstatic that he has been given this opportunity and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for him.

Katherine Olvera National Farmers Union Katherine Olvera, a recent Animal Science graduate from Texas A&M University, was born and raised in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. As a city girl, Katherine never truly experienced agriculture until she started her degree at Texas A&M University, where she found that the Ag world was very disconnected from what she grew up in. Because of this experience, Katherine has made it her goal to bridge the gap between consumers and producers concerning the agriculture industry. She hopes to create change in the agricultural industry that will advocate for both those in agriculture as well as those outside of it. With this goal in mind, Katherine hopes to gain an intimate knowledge of the legislative processes that impact all levels of agriculture. She is extremely grateful and excited to embark on this journey and cannot wait to experience Washington, D.C.

Anna Radosavljevic Office of Congressman John Carter Anna Radosavljevic is a recent Texas A&M University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Genetics. She grew up in Austin, Texas, after her family immigrated to the United States, where she became fascinated with the profound impact science can have on solving political issues. One of Anna’s greatest experiences at Texas A&M was working as a genetic researcher in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, where she designed a genetic method involving noninvasive identification of males and females in exotic animals. She also held positions in on-campus service organizations like Aggies Growing in Selfless Service, Aggie Miracle, Fish Camp, and MSC Freshmen in Service and Hosting. These organizations grew her passion for selfless service and allowed her to make personal connections with the people she served. Anna was also on staff for Kyle Field Day, where she planned service projects for underfunded organizations from around the country. The classes she took about current research in genetics and biochemistry heightened her interest in these industries. She is eager to learn about the legislative process and the relationship between policymaking and science during her time in Washington, D.C. Anna plans to pursue a law degree and use her science background to strengthen ties between science and real-world implications.