Having recently kicked off our summer internship program, we’re excited to introduce you to the newest faces around our offices: Gianna Alberti, Halayna Barrett, Itzel Herrera, Maura Schlaff and Rebecca Zlatkin.
Halayna, Rebecca and Maura all joined our New York team on Madison Avenue, while Itzel is working with our crew and clients in Phoenix, and Gianna is in our Pittsburgh office. To get acquainted, here are our quick Q&A’s with Havas PR’s interns of summer 2018:
Name: Gianna Alberti
Age: 21
Hometown: Brick, New Jersey
Alma mater: University of Pittsburgh
What I’m most looking forward to doing this summer in Pittsburgh: Being submerged in the art and history of downtown Pittsburgh.
What I want to achieve with Havas PR this summer: Learn how to direct a conversation so that companies and brands can maximize their customers’ experience.
My first job: Hostessing at a restaurant.
My role model: My mom; she embodies what a mother should be: supportive, loving and wise.
A song I can’t stop listening to: “I’m Upset” by Drake.
Name: Halayna Barrett
Age: 21
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Alma mater: The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC; I’ll be graduating with a bachelor’s in advertising and marketing communications next May.
What I’m most looking forward to doing this summer in New York: Walking around and enjoying the beautiful weather. I love this city, so I love exploring new places and finding hidden gems here.
What I want to achieve with Havas PR this summer: Get a glimpse inside the world of PR and achieve meaningful interactions with the PR team as well as with our clients.
All-time favorite quote? “The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.” –Friedrich Nietzsche
My first job: Interning at The Museum of Jewish Heritage, a living memorial to the Holocaust.
A band I can’t stop listening to: I have Bazzi playing all day, every day. I’m obsessed with his music.
My role model: Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She inspires me so much because she always places her passion for empowering women and girls above her own personal safety and security. She would much rather stir up controversy with her activism than be complacent and watch from the sidelines.
Name: Itzel Herrera
Age: 20
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Alma mater: The University of Arizona
What I’m most looking forward to doing this summer in Phoenix: Chilling by the pool all weekend long
What I want to achieve with Havas PR this summer: I want to learn everything I can, gain a full understanding of the role of PR, as well as where I would be successful within the industry.
My first job: I started working for a modeling and acting agency as a talent recruiter when I was 16. I stayed for about four years. It was hands down one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had.
A singer I can’t stop listening to: Cuco. He artfully combines English and Spanish into amazing songs that are perfect for studying or getting work done. Go listen to his work; I guarantee you’ll be just as obsessed as I am.
My role model: Leandra Medine, founder of Man Repeller. Her story never ceases to inspire me, and the fact that she is unapologetically herself is so refreshing. Not only do I aspire to be an entrepreneur like her, but I also want to create a brand that stands for women empowerment and self-love.
Name: Maura Schlaff
Age: 21
Hometown: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Alma mater: University of Pennsylvania
What I’m most looking forward to doing this summer in New York: Meeting new people and exploring the area
What I want to achieve with Havas PR this summer: I’m looking forward to working with others at Havas PR to gain hands-on experience and a greater understanding of what agency life is like.
All-time favorite quote: “You miss every shot you don’t take.”
My first job: Sales associate at a cupcake shop
A podcast I can’t stop listening to: Waking Up Podcast with Sam Harris
Name: Rebecca Zlatkin
Age: 21
Hometown: Westport, Connecticut
Alma mater: Wellesley College
What I’m most looking forward to doing this summer in New York: Visiting museums and exploring all the secret outdoor spaces around the city
What I want to achieve with Havas PR this summer: Develop my professional skills with a collaborative team and apply my creative energy. I’m also excited to work with the charities that Havas PR represents; I became an economics major through my work in the nonprofit sector, and I look forward to seeing how nonprofits interact with the private sector and how Havas PR uses its unique skills to promote successful and positive social action.
All-time favorite quote: “He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”–Lao Tzu
A podcast I can’t stop listening to: 2 Dope Queens with Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson
A book everyone should read: “Two Serious Ladies” by Jane Bowles
A project or accomplishment that I consider to be the most significant in my life thus far: As a high school student, I co-founded a project (now called “Cuerdas Para Cali”) that connected American musicians with The Orquesta Sinfónica Infantil y Juvenil de Siolé in Cali Colombia. In the Orquesta, music becomes a modality of social transformation for at-risk youth, and through it students learn to acquire skills through consistent, longterm work. This project develops greater capacities for a new generation of educated, motivated, enthusiastic leaders in a community that has been a breeding ground for conflict and violence.
Welcome to Havas PR, Halayna, Rebecca, Itzel and Maura! We can’t wait to get to know you better.
To keep up with our agency goings-ons, follow Havas PR on Twitter @havasprus and Instagram @havas_pr.