Meet KID’s 2018 Summer Team

KID is so grateful to our hard-working interns and volunteers for all they do to support KID’s mission. Meet our 2018 summer team:

Ashley Galbraith

My name is Ashley – this year I’ve been working with KID through the University of Chicago, where I study at the School of Social Service Administration (SSA). When I decided to leave my job as an early childhood teacher to pursue a degree and career in social work, I knew that I wanted to keep young children and families at the heart of the work that I continue to do. I was drawn to KID’s mission to keep kids safe by improving product safety; throughout my time here I’ve been inspired by the outreach, advocacy, and education that has been happening at KID.

During my time studying for my BA in psychology I had my first taste for clinical work, outreach and advocacy while working with my university’s Counseling Center and the Women’s Resource Center. Next, I taught for two years through Teach for America in Chicago’s south and west sides while I simultaneously studied and obtained a M.Ed. It was in my time teaching some of the youngest learners in some of the most under-resourced communities that solidified my dedication to early childhood advocacy and work with low-income families. It was all of these experiences that also led me to KID where justice for children and families is at the heart of the tireless work that they do in children’s product safety. I’m grateful to be a part of an organization whose mission and values manifested from one child’s story and a family determined to seek change. It’s inspiring to know about the decades of dedicated work that has been accomplished by KID since Danny Keysar’s death. I look forward to continuing my work with KID’s efforts while at SSA and beyond.

Alaziah Moore

My name is Alaziah. This August I will be attending the University of Dubuque in Iowa, where I will major in nursing. I came to KID through a mentor group, Step Up. Step Up is a mentor group intended to help women, like myself, become confident and comfortable in their own skin and help us to reach our dreams. Additionally, Step Up helps mentee graduates land a summer internship. Working with my mentor, I learned more about KID and she helped me to land an internship this summer. I hope I am able to help KID this summer by working to educate individuals of dangerous children’s products.

Mateo Olvera-Sandoval

My name is Mateo Olvera-Sandoval, I am a rising second-year at the University of Chicago studying history and political science. I grew up in Pilsen, Chicago before moving to Berwyn, Illinois. On campus, I am an intramural sports representative, orientation leader, and a part of a political club called UChicago Student Action. In my free time, I enjoy watching comedies like the Office and playing soccer or volleyball.

I am part of a program called SummerLinks, which combines education about social justice issues with service in the nonprofit or governmental sectors. The members of my cohort begin with an immersion week, where we speak with community leaders and learn about topics such as economic development in the social sector or the relationship between government and media. We then intern at our respective host sites and meet every Wednesday to reflect on our experiences at the site and how they relate to social change. On Fridays, we travel as a group to different neighborhoods of Chicago, meet with leaders in the community, and learn about subjects that range from the history of the neighborhood to current social movements.

I have been working with children for a while, whether through summer camps, helping my mother in her CPS classroom, or teaching Sunday School at my local church. In addition, I come from a large family—I have over 30 cousins! I know that children are some of the most vulnerable members of our society and wanted to be involved as an advocate for them. I feel that I could accomplish this at Kids in Danger, as it has a clear goal and a direct impact. Being able to work to improve the well-being of families through outreach, education, and policy is something that I can see myself accomplishing here.

Abby Rader

My name is Abby Rader, I am a rising Junior studying Political Science and Environmental Science Policy at the College of Saint Benedict in central Minnesota. I grew up in Naperville, but my father recently moved to Andersonville, Chicago. On campus I am the fundraising coordinator for a social justice documentary team, Extending the Link, on the board of Climate Action Club, a chemistry tutor and the Women’s Captain for my school’s Rowing Team.

Over previous summers I have been a children’s swim instructor and camp counselor, and have seen the need for protecting children at all stages of life. As my college years dwindle, I decided this summer was an essential one to land real job experience. After working with an internship organization, IES, I was fortunate enough to learn that an IES employee had a long-standing relationship with KID through a connection at the University of Chicago. Learning more about KID from the IES staff and Carson Gaffney, KID’s Program Director, I was excited to work in an interdisciplinary office that accomplishes so much on both a national and local scale to keep children safe. KID’s dedication towards policy advocacy, public outreach and data analysis strongly aligns both with my studies and passions. I see myself making large personal, and professional accomplishments with KID, while bettering the lives of children through working towards improved product safety.

Julian Skosey-Lalonde

My name is Julian, and I am an incoming Junior at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. I am 16 years old, love to play/coach/watch baseball, enjoy mathematics, and am a big fan of KID’s goals. At my school, every Sophomore begins their required community service hours at an organization of their choice. As I was researching a list of Chicago nonprofit organizations, I stumbled upon KID, and was intrigued by their goals in the description of the organization. Danny Keysar’s death was a tragedy, and as a person who has lost people closest to him, I wanted to help out and do my best to minimize the losses of others.