“Public health is about building trust, creating meaningful relationships, and ensuring that everyone has access to quality, affirming care.”
– thoughts from London Gaither, our WWH External Affairs Intern*
Spending two summers as an External Affairs Intern at Whitman-Walker Health was one of the most rewarding experiences of my college journey. During my internships in 2025 and 2026, I had the opportunity to see firsthand how community outreach, advocacy, and compassionate healthcare can make a lasting impact. More importantly, these experiences helped me navigate my own career journey by exposing me to different areas of public health and healthcare administration, confirming my passion for serving communities and pursuing a career in healthcare leadership.
Throughout both summers, I worked alongside an incredible team that quickly became much more than coworkers. My supervisors, Dwight Venson and Lisa Amore, were mentors who invested in my growth, encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, and introduced me to professionals across the public health field. Their guidance gave me the confidence to network, ask questions, and explore the many career paths available within healthcare. During my internships, I attended community meetings, built relationships with local organizations, helped plan and support events, and connected residents with valuable health resources. Some of my favorite experiences included participating in the Pride Parade, organizing a candlelight vigil honoring those lost to HIV/AIDS, supporting a diabetes awareness event, attending Ward 8 Health Council meetings, and helping with community events such as Thrive Fest. Each opportunity reinforced that public health is about building trust, creating meaningful relationships, and ensuring that everyone has access to quality, affirming care.
Growing up in Ward 8 made this experience especially meaningful because I was able to give back to my own community while learning from professionals who genuinely cared about both the people they served and the next generation of public health leaders. Through their mentorship and hands-on experiences, I gained and developed stronger communication, leadership, and networking skills while discovering the career path I want to pursue.
I am incredibly grateful to Whitman-Walker Health for investing in me over two summers. The knowledge, mentorship, and experiences I gained have prepared me for the next chapter of my career. I will always value the relationships I built, especially with Dwight and Lisa, whose mentorship helped shape not only my internship experience but also my confidence and direction as I begin my journey in healthcare.
*London Gaither spent two summers as a Whitman-Walker Health External Affairs Intern, funded by the Economic Club of Washington as a David M. Rubenstein scholarship recipient in DCECW’s Scholars to Leaders Program.
