A Better City Welcomes Summer 2026 Interns
June 15, 2026
This summer, A Better City is excited to welcome five 2026 interns to our team! They represent a variety of backgrounds and schools across Massachusetts: Boston University, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and Williams College. They have hit the ground running, and we look forward to sharing their work at the end of the summer. Please say hello if you see them around our offices or at an upcoming event!
You can learn more about each intern below:
Carson Douglas joins A Better City through the Boston University LaunchPad Program. A rising sophomore majoring in Behavior and Health at Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Carson is originally from Brooklyn, New York, and enjoys playing basketball and meeting new people. He is deeply passionate about sports science and athletic training, with aspirations to become a sports physical therapist and, eventually, a strength and conditioning coach for an NBA team or professional league. While he possesses clarity regarding his chosen career path, Carson remains highly open-minded toward exploring other fields and connecting with a diverse range of professionals throughout his journey.
Joanna Gentle joins A Better City through the Williams College Alumni Sponsored Internship Program. Joanna is a rising junior at Williams College, where she is double majoring in Psychology and Political Science because of her interests in the intersections of social psychology and public policy. Originally from Norwalk, Connecticut, Joanna has enjoyed the potential connection to urban areas that effective transportation and urban planning provides. At Williams she is a leader of the Transport Hub and of the Route 2 Passenger Rail project which advocates for the restoration of a rail line connecting Western Massachusetts to the East. She is looking forward to continuing to advocate for more reliable and accessible transportation, facilitating sustainable urban growth. Joanna is also participating in the Commercial Real Estate Success Training (CREST) internship program designed to introduce people of color and women, both of whom are typically underrepresented, to the broadly defined commercial real estate industry.
Luis Hernandez joins A Better City through the Boston University Launchpad Program. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Luis is a rising sophomore, where he is currently undeclared and exploring interests in international relations, business, and public policy. As a first-generation college student new to Boston, Luis has become intrigued by the city's public transportation options and how they shape daily life for students, workers, and residents who depend on systems like the MBTA and BlueBikes. He is excited to learn how organizations like A Better City help improve the quality of life in Greater Boston, while advocating for sustainable development and community-based strategies.
Lizzie Higgins joins A Better City through the Liman Undergraduate Fellowship sponsored by Yale Law School. Lizzie is a rising senior at Mount Holyoke College studying sociology and public policy. For the past two summers, Lizzie has interned with Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority, where she discovered the valuable impact that quality public transportation infrastructure can have on making tangible change in local communities. In her summer free time, Lizzie enjoys frequenting the beaches of her hometown, Wareham, Massachusetts.
Emma Larsen is joining A Better City through the Boston-based Forest Foundation fellowship. Emma is a rising senior at Smith College, where she studies Environmental Science & Policy and Applied Statistics. She is interested in the interdisciplinary aspects of environmental policy, with a particular focus on the data component of policy research. She has explored, both academically and professionally, the ways in which many different players must work together to create sustainable and resilient cities in the face of increasing climate-related challenges.
