Internship Spotlight: Sean Harris – Department of Interior
Name: Sean Harris
SPAA Degree Program: Master of Public Administration, concentration in Budgeting and Financial Management
Graduation Month/Year: May 2025
Name of Organization: Department of Interior, Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement
Location: Sterling, Virginia
Title: Program Analyst, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs
Summary of Responsibilities: I was paired with senior regulatory analyst Amy White, who was a very personable mentor and provided a lot of industry insight. I regularly attended meetings within the Regulations and Standards Branch, where I was quickly brought into the fold on the regulatory process. My specific contribution was refining the guidance publication process and recommending obsolete guidance for renewals.
Favorite Aspect of Internship: The culture was very friendly and collaborative. The Deputy Director, Paul Huang, was very approachable and encouraged participation in his “Coffee with Colleagues Chats” where you met people across the organization. There were also perks like “Bowling at the White House” where I was able to meet people across the department in a unique setting.
Career Goals: I would like to continue pursuing energy regulation with a focus in renewable energy stewardship.
How has SPAA helped you navigate your internship responsibilities?
SPAA prepares students to read and write large quantities of text efficiently, which was a great help. SPAA also does a good job in developing the open discussion mentality. Regulatory work requires a good number of people with different academic, cultural, and professional backgrounds so tapping into that skill was important.
What kind of skills did you learn during this internship?
This internship brought my attention to regulator foresight, industry knowledge, and technical expertise. I learned to collaborate with different perspectives and how to identify important information during discussions. The technical skills learned from this internship include utilizing SharePoint, data tracking systems, and Microsoft Power Automate.