GASP’s mission is to enhance the health and wellbeing of Alabamians by reducing air pollution, advancing environmental justice, and promoting climate solutions through education, advocacy, and collaboration. By welcoming the future environmental advocates, educators, and changemakers, GASP gets a chance to share knowledge and collaborate with motivated young professionals in a hands on approach. Our interns, fellows, and students are an integral part of GASP’s history and success. We want to express our gratitude for all of their hardwork and create an open space for idea sharing and learning. Please help us welcome and uplift our incoming Spring Interns and Fellows as they embark on this journey through the environmental field alongside GASP.
Sarah Alvi – Spring 2024 CDC Public Health Law Fellow
Sarah Alvi joins GASP as a CDC Public Health Law Fellow, eager to leverage her background in health policy, legal analysis, and community health programs to advance environmental justice. As a past paralegal focused on complex contract law, Sarah gained valuable skills in interpreting statutes and applying legal reasoning—experience she looks forward to utilizing in her fellowship role. While pursuing her Master of Public Health at The George Washington University, Sarah pursued coursework focused on health equity, ethics, and global population health. As part of her fellowship, Sarah will conduct vital legal research, support GASP’s policy initiatives, and help build awareness of environmental justice issues disproportionately impacting marginalized communities. Passionate about human rights and inclusion, Sarah has a history of empowering underserved groups through her work—from directing a political action committee during the COVID-19 pandemic, to helping craft policies expanding healthcare access as a Texas Legislative Fellow. Through this fellowship, she hopes to continue fighting for equity by ensuring every community can thrive free from environmental hazards. When not working towards policy change, you can find Sarah learning new languages, attending concerts, or on the hunt for the best local coffee shops! Sarah looks forward to contributing her skills and passion for social justice to advance GASP’s mission over the months ahead.
Skyler Ellis – Spring 2024 GASP Legal Extern
Skyler Ellis is a 3L at the University of Alabama School of Law. Originally from the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate/Western New York, she grew up on a very rural property around Hemlock Lake which sparked her lifelong love of the environment. Skyler majored in Environmental Science during undergraduate at the University of Alabama, and her plan is to eventually enter the environmental law field. She is an animal lover, and says she has greatly enjoyed being able to feed her passion for wildlife through UA Law Clubs like the Environmental Law Society and the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. In Skyler’s spare time she loves to hang out with her friends and family (pets included), watch movies, camp, and kickbox or run.
“I am very excited to begin working with GASP this semester, and I can’t wait to be on the inside of such a wonderful environmental organization!”
Mandy Wong-Davis – Returning Spring 2024 GASP Policy Intern
Mandy Wong-Davis is an alumna of The University of Alabama. Mandy graduated sumna cum laude in 2022 at the age of 19. Her degree is in Geography (Earth System Science) with a minor in Philosophy (Jurisprudence Specialization). She currently works as a policy intern for the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP), an environmental non-profit in Birmingham. Additionally, she works as a substitute teacher and substitute paraprofessional for both Gen. Ed. and Exceptional Ed. classes in primarily Title 1 schools. Mandy also serves as the Assistant Program Coordinator for Women Under Construction’s YoungTools4Life program, an after-school program aimed at educating and empowering inner city kids using home repair applications. Mandy is currently applying to law school and hopes to specialize in family and environmental law and policy.
Julianne Tharp – Spring 2024 GASP Field & Advocacy Fellow
Julianne serves GASP as the Field and Advocacy Fellow. She has worked and volunteered within the nonprofit field for five years and continues to pursue excellence through her work supporting GASP and other environmental nonprofit organizations. Julianne attributes her passion for environmental justice to her roots in the Philippines, a third-world country experiencing some of the major consequences of climate change. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Health, Policy, and Management from Samford University. In her spare time Julianne enjoys playing card games with her husband while their three dogs and one cat vie for attention. As the Field and Advocacy Fellow, Julianne will support direct community engagement work related to canvassing, data, phone-banking and listening sessions in frontline communities.
