Hiring summer intern is win-win for WSDA program

Kathy Davis
Communications

Anna Howard

WSDA’s Animal Feed Program is in the home stretch of a five-year effort to meet federal regulatory standards. To help carry them over the finish line, program staff hired a college intern for the summer. The arrangement is a win-win, for the program and the intern.

After recruitment and a virtual interview process, the program hired Anna Howard. 

Anna is a recent graduate of the University of Washington-Tacoma, where she majored in healthcare leadership. As a student, she conducted research into healthcare delivery for minorities and was granted a research scholarship. 

She plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health, studying food security and safety. 

“I’m incredibly excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Anna said. “I’m hopeful this position will allow me to gain a better understanding of the role that state and federal government have in regulating animal feed and ensuring public health and safety.”

Anna is helping the Animal Feed Program prepare for an in-depth audit by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August. The audit caps off the last year of the five-year cooperative agreement to meet rigorous federal standards. 

The Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards establishes consistent quality among the nation’s feed regulators. The set of 11 standards covers activities such as inspections, sampling, recalls, emergency response, laboratory services, training and outreach. 

“We thought this would be a great opportunity for an up-and-coming professional,” said Ashlee-Rose Ferguson, program coordinator and Anna’s supervisor. “Anna is gaining valuable experience in project management, food safety, public administration, agriculture and communications.”

Working on the regulatory standards project is giving Anna an immersive education in the government’s role. 

“I appreciate being able to work closely with experienced program staff, learning about their roles and what it’s like to work for an agency like WSDA,” she noted. 

If other WSDA programs are interested in building an internship program, contact Ashlee-Rose Ferguson. 

In summary: WSDA’s Animal Feed Program hired a college intern this summer to help complete a five-year project of meeting rigorous federal standards, culminating in an in-depth audit in August. Meet Anna Howard and learn how she is gaining valuable experience, while helping the program.