CONFIDENTIAL: Meant for the use of Councilmember Kumar's interns

1. 6/30/18 1
THIS DOC IS MEANT FOR THE EXPLICIT USE OF
THE INTERN TEAM ONLY

2. INTRODUCTIONS
• Name, Grade, School
• One thing you know about Saratoga or like
about Saratoga
• OPTIONAL One thing that you believe is a
challenge in Saratoga

3. OBJECTIVE OF THE INTERNSHIP
TEAM
• An internship program working towards
the fulfillment of city council duties and
other community/ political activities of
Councilmember Kumar, creating
opportunities of learning and leadership for
the youth of Silicon Valley

4. We are Volunteers!
• Internship program – the first
• Not a corporate internship format
• Self-learning; throw your energy, ideas
and leadership into it to reap the rewards
• Push the needle, persist and make it
happen!

5. Internship efforts Involve…
• Policy research for Saratoga, Silicon Valley and
California
• Tasks related to City Council role e.g social
media, communication, monthly newsletter,
summarizing surveys etc.
• Tasks related to community events that Rishi
Kumar runs in the local community
Community events www.RishiKumar.com/events
• Political campaigns - local, state wide
• Other political efforts – see next slide

6. Political Involvement
§ Saratoga City Councilmember
§ National Delegate (Bernie Sanders) - Congressional District 18, National
Democratic Convention Philadelphia 2016
§ Governor Brown's University of California Regents Committee
§ National League of Cities Asian Pacific American Municipal
§ Officials APAMO Board member
§ Officer - CA Democratic Party API Caucus
§ Director - CA League of Cities API Caucus
§ Executive Board Member - CA Democratic Party (AD28)
§ Delegate- CA Democratic Party (AD28)
§ Member National League of Cities, Energy and Environmental Resources
Committee
§ League of CA Cities Employee Relations Policy Committee
§ League of CA Cities Administrative Policy Committee
§ President, Bay Area Indian American Democratic Club

7. Internship will create
opportunities
• Get involved locally, understand issues
and challenges
• Leadership opportunities and enhance
your learning and contribution.
• Generate awareness and inner working of
city government.
• Drive your opportunities and your “Ah Ha”
moments

8. Why Intern?
• Expand awareness, inner working of politics/ city
govt.
• Gives you an opportunity to demonstrate leadership
outside the school, understand city government
• Develops your writing skills. Understand issues from
both sides, help formulate policy recommendations
• “Expand your horizon”

9. Why Intern? Possibilities
– Take charge and grow, get ready to fly
– You get volunteer hours,
– Part of your college essay story?
– Recommendation letters?
– Line yourself for other political internships,
– Future run for Governor? – who knows

10. Getting ready to run…

11. Responsiveness
– Appreciate your responsiveness, you will score
points for quick responses to query
– You should expect the same from me. If you don’t
hear from me, please contact the Intern Chief of
Staff and let them know

12. VOLUNTEER HOURS
• Every intern will get voluntary hours
through the Councilmember Rishi Kumar
• Send your requests to the INTERN CHIEF
OF STAFF

13. Saratoga Youth Commission
• The Saratoga Youth Commission is comprised
of eleven middle and high school residents who
are appointed by the Saratoga City Council for
two-year terms. As leaders of their community,
the commissioner's role is to serve as a liaison
between the young citizens of Saratoga and the
City Council. In addition, commissioners plan,
promote and participate in community service,
educational and fun activities for the City's youth.

14. Format of Internship
• Year long program
• Participate as best as you can.
• Pick a track that aligns with your interest
• Work out of your home / as needed
• We meet f2f once or twice a year
• Tasks and projects are handed out via
REMIND
• Work with your project leads, Intern Chief
of Staff

15. This is a leadership and
learning opportunity
TRAITS
• Great attitude,
• Excellent energy
• Can-Do spirit
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Campaign
• Video for AIB
• Bike Safety Workshop
• Saratoga has Talent Village
contribution
• Anchoring Saratoga has Talent
• Open Mic
Oksana Trifonova
INTERN CHIEF OF STAFF
12/2014 to 6/2016

16. Let us hear it from a current
intern who leads communication

17. College Interns
• Giulia Corno – USC Neuroscience and political
science
• Neeshi Patadia – USC Economics, Works in
Silicon Valley hi-tech f
• Meghan Macinnes – U of Portlant
• Isha Mehrotra, Massachusetts Institute of
Technlogy
• Rohan Mehrotra, Stanford University
• Dhruv Walia, U C Berkeley,
• Nikhil Manglik – U of Chicago, Public Policy

18. INTERN TEAM
OPEN
YOUTH INTERN CHIEF OF STAFF
NIKHIL MANGLIK
POLICY LEAD
ISHA & ROHAN
MEHROTRA
NEIGHBORHOOD
SAFETY WATCH
RITIKA
KUPPAM &
DHRUV WALIA
VIDEO
GOULIA CORNO
COMMUNICATION
POLITICAL
CAMPAIGN

19. INTERN TEAM
OPEN
Youth Interns: Chief of Staff
COMMUNITY
EVENTS
SOCIAL MEDIA
PRECINCT
WALKING
COMMUNITY
FUNDRAISING
YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN LEADERSHIP ROLE
BY LEADING AND DEMONSTRATING RESULTS

20. Case Study
• Policy paper – Cell phone Towers
• Debate Academy
• Affordable Housing
• Neighborhood Safety
• Saratoga has Talent
• Chefs of Compassion

21. How do you turn in assignments
• Create a Google Drive document
• Add rishi1<at>gmail.com to the document
and the Youth Chief of Staff
• Deadline – make sure you ask if you don’t
know
• Be responsive to queries from Rishi or

22. ROAD MAP
• Policy for California
• Internship with a Senator/ Assemblymember
• Explore, Discover, Empower

23. COMMUNICATION
• Assignments via REMIND
• First come first serve
• Work with your leads

24. Saratoga Challenges
• Water
• Neighborhood Safety
• Communication
• Highway 85
• Drought
• Stop Sign
• Quarry Park
• Commercial Districts

25. Newsletter

27. Study assignment
Saratoga’s Home Page http://www.saratoga.ca.us

28. Study assignment

29. Study assignment
Visit www.RishiKumar.com

30. Assignment – Due July 31st
#1 What are your ideas for the city of
Saratoga’s website. How can we make it
better?
- Short half page to one page

31. Homework – Due July 31st
#2 How can the city of Saratoga innovate?
- Just describe one or two things you would
like to see happen

32. Contacting Rishi
Rishi Kumar
My monthly City Council update http://www.rishikumar.com/rishis-newsletter.html
Direct all city/council related emails to rkumar@saratoga.ca.us
Connect with Rishi —> Facebook.com/Rishi || linkedin.com/in/rickkumar
PHONE 408 805 5993 || Facebook.com/VoteRishi || @rishikumar1
Office hours: 1st Saturday every month, Bell Tower Bistro (10AM to 11AM)
Keep up with the latest, subscribe to Councilmember Rishi Kumar’s newsletter
http://groups.google.com/group/GreatSaratoga