The North Carolina Council of Churches is excited to introduce the newest interns joining our team this summer! We invite you to get to know them below and hear, in their own words, about the passions, studies, and hopes that led them to this opportunity.
An Introduction to the North Carolina Council of Churches intern, Georgia H. Rabin:
I am a junior at Duke University, majoring in Public Policy and minoring in both Biology and Economics. I am from New Jersey but have family roots all over the world, from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Raleigh, North Carolina to London in the United Kingdom. I am deeply passionate about human and environmental health, sustainable energy access, resource rights, and energy security as a national security issue. I bring experience to the team from my past government affairs work at Environmental Working Group in D.C., and my ongoing role at Duke’s Kenan Institute for Ethics. I hope that this experience informs my future career in law or policy.
I am so excited to be joining the North Carolina Council of Churches as an intern this summer, where my primary focus will be on the North Carolina Carbon Plan and how it is impacted by the proliferation of data centers in the state. My work will wrestle with the relationship between, and responsibilities of, utilities, the North Carolina Utility Commission, and the public. Working on this issue as a member of the Eco-Justice team, I hope to help increase energy access for all in North Carolina. I draw inspiration and purpose from my faith, and look forward to identifying how the power of faith and the literal power of light burn brighter when united in service of others.
Please let me know if you think anything is missing,
Georgia H. Rabin
An Introduction to the Council’s Partners in Health and Wholeness intern, Maliya Simmons-Marshall
Hello everyone! My name is Maliya Simmons-Marshall, and I am excited to join the team as a Behavioral Health Equity & Communications Practicum Student. I graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Community Health. Additionally, I am currently pursuing my Master of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where my concentration is Leadership in Practice, and I am expected to graduate in 2027.
My passion for public health is rooted in my interests in health equity, social justice, and improving access to care for underserved communities. Through my academic, leadership, and healthcare experiences, I have developed a strong interest in behavioral health and the importance of addressing mental health stigma, particularly within communities where these conversations are often overlooked. Additionally, I am very excited to engage with work connected to the UNC Public Health and Faith Communities Initiative, and the growing focus on partnerships between public health and faith communities. I value the initiative’s emphasis on community engagement, inclusive health practices, and strengthening connections between public health professionals and faith-based organizations to advance health equity across North Carolina. To learn more about this initiative, click here.
During this practicum experience, I look forward to expanding my knowledge in community engagement, health communication, and advocacy. I am excited to contribute to initiatives that support equitable mental health resources and awareness. I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to learning, collaborating, and growing throughout this experience.
Maliya Simmons-Marshall
