Internships at the First Ask
The First Ask offers our interns the opportunity to gain hands on political experience, including direct opportunities to work with candidates, build stakeholder relationships, and develop both hard and soft skills that will be invaluable to a career in politics. This internship is designed for those with little to no professional political experience who are excited to learn and who are incredibly dedicated to seeing positive political change.
Our competitive application process, hands-on work experience, and supportive work environment prepares our interns for a career of making change!
Fall 2025 Internship Applications will open up early Summer. Check back soon!
“I absolutely loved my experience at The First Ask. I was a second-semester senior during my internship, and I learned so much about the professional world from the team. Getting to develop relationships with our candidates was invaluable, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to expand my portfolio. I’m so thankful to Caroline and Eleanor for giving me the chance to work at TFA—I would recommend the organization for anyone who cares about women in local politics!”
Summer 2025 Interns
-
Eliana Sirota
Eliana Sirota (she/her) is a rising Senior with a double major in Government and Classics at Smith College. She has worked for the National Organization for Women and the National Women’s Political Caucus and plans to pursue a career in women’s rights legal advocacy. She is really excited to spend this summer with The First Ask helping increase women’s representation in politics.
She was born in New York City and is involved with the Swim Club and Cheer Team at Smith. She likes to knit, listen to music, and cook in her free time.
-
Skylah Brooks
Skylah Brooks (she/her) is from Stamford, Connecticut and recently graduated from Berry College in Rome, Georgia with a degree in Psychology. She is passionate about uplifting marginalized communities and creating space for voices that are often overlooked.
This summer Skylah is excited to intern with The First Ask and help women, especially women of color, run for office because women must be involved in making decisions that affect us.
In the long term, Skylah want to work in education policy to change policies and create training that addresses implicit bias so students aren’t limited by other people’s expectations. In her free time, Skylah loves making playlists, finding new coffee shops, and being surrounded by her friends.
-
Kate Fleming
Kate Fleming (she/her) is a rising senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Political Science and Advertising & Public Relations. On campus, she serves on the Student Conduct Board, where she help guide students through the conduct process and work to support a more equitable student experience. Kate is also an active member of the Carolina Public Relations Student Society of America, where she help connect students with PR professionals. Additionally, Kate is pursuing a certificate in political communication through UNC’s Hussman School, focusing on the intersection of media and politics and its impact on minority representation in the U.S.
Kate is passionate about leveraging the power of social media to amplify the voices of women candidates and drive meaningful political engagement.
Hear from our former interns!
“ I had a wonderful experience working with The First Ask! I was very anxious before starting, as this job was my first internship, but Caroline and Eleanor’s guidance proved to me that I had nothing to be nervous about. Doing work that had a real impact in campaigns within my home state was an incredible experience, and it reaffirmed that advocacy is the field I want to go into. The skills and knowledge I have retained from my semester with The First Ask will without a doubt help me in my future career.”
“ My time as an intern at The First Ask was incredibly rewarding. Being able to help women across the country work to represent us all is something I’ve always been passionate about. At The First Ask, I was able to have direct contact with strong, selfless candidates and have my faith in state candidates strengthened. I was able to build my research, communication, and writing skills and feel confident in my ability to continue to help build female representation in the future. I am so lucky to have had this experience and the First Ask is an amazing organization that shines a spotlight on elections that would otherwise go unnoticed.”
“ My time with The First Ask is truly everything I hoped it would be. I couldn't have asked for a better first-internship experience. I'm so grateful to the team that I've worked with this summer. Caroline and Eleanor were the perfect supervisors because they really valued my experience and ensuring that I met my goals and learned about the specific research and fundraising areas that I wanted to learn about. Politics is something that I have been passionate about for a while, but being able to actively participate in this country's Democratic process was so incredibly fulfilling, and I cannot thank The First Ask enough for the opportunity it has provided me to make a difference.”