City of Framingham

Gaina Jean-Pierre, a resident of Framingham, entered the Human Resources internship looking for insight into different sectors of Human Resources to help guide her towards the correct career path. Since beginning the internship, Gaina has gained valuable experience in various areas of Human Resources. “I successfully created and posted job listings, honed my interviewer skills, and learned extensively about unions and workers compensation. Additionally, I designed job flyers to attract potential candidates and participated in negotiation meetings. One of my favorite things I’ve done is going to the Farmers Market on Thursday and talking to the local citizens about the job opportunities we provide,” Gaina said. “These experiences have significantly enhanced my HR knowledge, and skills. I’ve learned so much already. This internship has exceeded my expectations.” By the end of the 10-week program, Gaina will be looking to have established connections with staff and other interns. With a passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work, Gaina hopes to bring that field of study into all her future workplaces. “I aspire to make new connections that will last a lifetime, while also gaining more knowledge about local government, especially since Framingham is my hometown. I would like to bring my passion for D.E.I and major in Psychology and Economics into my current position,” she said. [Image Description: Gaina Jean-Pierre is an intern in the Human Resources Department. She is a resident of Framingham, and her favorite spot in the City is J&M Diner. She is a student at UMass Dartmouth and a member of the Class of 2026. A fun fact about Gaina is that she was born in Haiti!]

Framingham Fire Department Promotes Franco To Lieutenant FRAMINGHAM - In a ceremony at the Memorial Building, Framingham firefighter Rafael Franco took the oath of office to become the City of Framingham’s newest lieutenant. Framingham Fire Chief Michael Dutcher said Franco “is one of our hardest and most dedicated employees.” Franco, who immigrated from Brazil with his family as a young child, was hired as a firefighter on December 7, 2015. He was officially promoted as a lieutenant on June 24. Lt. Franco was pinned by his father-in-law retired Framingham Firefighter-Assistant Fire Marshal Randy Smith.

MEET THE CITY INTERNS' Intern Juliana Donovan, a resident of Framingham, entered the City of Framingham Planning and Development Department hoping to further career options after college while gaining valuable experience in the city. She has already taken steps to achieve this by working on various projects around Framingham, such as researching the history of Eastleigh Farm and creating a presentation for the public to learn from. To do so, she’s already visited the History Center to learn about its past, and she has traveled to the farm to interview the owner in-person. Aside from land projects, Juliana has also taken steps to ensure that the senior citizens of Framingham have living accommodations and affordable housing options. “I’ve started researching Framingham’s housing accommodations, such as nursing homes and living facilities, and how these compare to surrounding towns. The purpose behind this research is to enable the city to improve the availability of affordable housing options for the growing number of our city’s seniors,” Juliana said.' At the end of the internship, Juliana hopes to have gained valuable experience and connections in the city. “I’ve enjoyed working in a role that directly pertains to my academic studies and hope that this gives me a further idea of career options after school,” she said. “I also hope to learn from the professionals around me about the experiences they’ve had throughout their careers and their advice as I begin my own. I hope that at the end of the internship I will have completed meaningful work that is good for the city.” (Graphics and post by City of Framingham intern Ryan Mikelis) [Image Description: Meet Juliana, a local intern from the City of Framingham, who is working in the Planning and Development Office. She is a member of the Class of 2026 at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, and her favorite spot in Framingham is Callahan State Park. Bilingual skills come naturally to Juliana, as she also speaks Spanish fluently.]

MEET the CITY INTERNS Olivia Shaw is an intern in the City's Planning and Community Development Department Olivia is from Hopedale, and she entered the internship with the goal of learning how Framingham companies are managed both operationally and strategically. She has set out personal goals that she hopes will help her in this line of work. “My goal is to deepen my understanding of how companies in Framingham are managed operationally and strategically. I aim to grasp the intricacies of their governance structures, decision-making processes, and overall management practices. Additionally, I hope to become well-versed in the regulatory environment that governs these companies,” she said. Since beginning the internship, Olivia has been working on Excel sheets to organize and categorize the various statistics of dozens of Framingham businesses. “I have learned a great deal about using Excel to analyze and understand the various companies within the city of Framingham. Through data manipulation and visualization techniques, I've gained insights into each company's financial health and market presence,” Olivia said. After completing this internship, Olivia hopes to leave with a better understanding of how businesses throughout the city operate, how they are regulated, how decisions are made, and the various practices of business management. “This knowledge will not only enhance my ability to analyze businesses comprehensively but also provide valuable insights into the broader economic landscape of Framingham,” she said. [Image Description: Our next intern of the series, Olivia, resides in Hopedale. She is a member of the Class of 2026 at Endicott College. Her favorite Framingham spot is Callahan State Park, but her dream vacation destination is Bora Bora, French Polynesia.]

MEET THE CITY INTERNS City of Framingham Parks & Recreation Department Intern Jason Abramson began the internship by learning about work that goes into park projects and the roles and jobs involved in the facilitation of the Parks and Recreation Department. “I've gained insight into the various jobs and roles involved, such as landscape architects, construction workers, and project managers,” Jason said. “Understanding how these professionals collaborate has given me a deeper appreciation for the complexities of park development and the importance of effective communication and coordination in bringing these projects to life.” Jason hopes this internship will bring experience in project management that will hopefully lead to future connections in a career. He will be looking for jobs in management after he graduates from the University of New Hampshire next Spring. [Image description: Our next post for the “Meet the Interns” series, featuring Jason, an intern for the Parks and Recreation Department. He is from Framingham, and he is a member of the Class of 2025. Currently enrolled at the University of New Hampshire, his favorite spot in Framingham is Bowditch Field. A fun fact of his is that he loves to play golf.]

The first-ever Framingham Business Trade Show will take place on Saturday, August 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held downtown Framingham. The Trade Show will bring together exhibitors representing the businesses based in Framingham, as well as a cultural agenda of music and art performances. The purpose of the event is to promote business networking, attract customers, and stimulate pedestrian traffic downtown. During the event, exhibitors will have designated table spots and connect with the community. Organizers are still accepting applications for exhibitors and sponsors. The City of Framingham Planning Department is working with the organizers. Reach out to Patricia Costa, the City's Economic Development Specialist and Planner at 508-532-5505 or email prcostadesa@framinghamma.gov if you have questions.

MEET the CITY INTERNS Olivia Shaw is an intern in the City's Planning and Community Development Department. Olivia is from Hopedale, and she entered the internship with the goal of learning how Framingham companies are managed both operationally and strategically. She has set out personal goals that she hopes will help her in this line of work. “My goal is to deepen my understanding of how companies in Framingham are managed operationally and strategically. I aim to grasp the intricacies of their governance structures, decision-making processes, and overall management practices. Additionally, I hope to become well-versed in the regulatory environment that governs these companies,” she said. Since beginning the internship, Olivia has been working on Excel sheets to organize and categorize the various statistics of dozens of Framingham businesses. “I have learned a great deal about using Excel to analyze and understand the various companies within the city of Framingham. Through data manipulation and visualization techniques, I've gained insights into each company's financial health and market presence,” Olivia said. After completing this internship, Olivia hopes to leave with a better understanding of how businesses throughout the city operate, how they are regulated, how decisions are made, and the various practices of business management. “This knowledge will not only enhance my ability to analyze businesses comprehensively but also provide valuable insights into the broader economic landscape of Framingham,” she said. [Image Description: Our next intern of the series, Olivia, resides in Hopedale. She is a member of the Class of 2026 at Endicott College. Her favorite Framingham spot is Callahan State Park, but her dream vacation destination is Bora Bora, French Polynesia.]

Johnathan Keddy is another member of this summer's Mayor's Intern Program cohort. Welcome Johnathan!

MEET THE CITY INTERNS Framingham Police Department Intern Jasmin Sabala entered the department looking to refine and broaden her skills of data-analysis and interpretation through the lens of law enforcement. “Since I began the internship, I have learned the importance of attention to detail due to accuracy having a large impact on reports and certifications. I have accomplished an understanding of laws that are involved with cases and record-keeping,” Jasmin said. One of Jasmin’s important goals for this internship is to network with officers and employees, while increasing her communication skills among the many Framingham residents who enter the Police Station with any number of concerns, comments, or necessary assistance. By organizing files loaded with information and helping to create a better system of organization, Jasmin has been able to convey complex information to others in a manner that is helpful and easy to understand. She helps others on a daily basis, even when they may not realize it. With a decent understanding of languages like Russian, Jasmin hopes to learn more about communication in such a diverse city. “I learned how to navigate passed language barriers in order to communicate and help all customers. I learned the importance of organization when dealing with an abundance of information that can be decades old.” By the end of the internship, Jasmin hopes to have formed close relationships with law enforcement officers and learned from them along the way, while also gaining an understanding of the records process and furthering her communication abilities. She stated, “I hope to accomplish a deep understanding of all the procedures that occur in the records department. I hope to improve my skills in data-analysis and interpretation. I hope to refine my communication skills; especially when explaining complex information. I hope to have established professional relationships with the staff and gain knowledge from them with their diverse backgrounds in law enforcement.” [Image description: Our next post for the “Meet the Interns” series, featuring Jasmin, an intern for the Framingham Police Department. She is from Marlborough, and is a member of the Class of 2027 at Villanova University. Her favorite spot in Framingham is the popular Padaria Brasil Bakery in downtown, and a fun fact of hers is that she can speak Russian!]

MEET THE CITY INTERNS - #4 *** After graduating from Framingham State University in 2021, Adie Fernandez, a resident of Framingham, MA, began her internship with the goal of understanding the procedures and inner-workings of the Financial Department, including day-to-day responsibilities and meetings through which the City develops its projects. “I have learned a lot about how the City gets its funding. I have been working closely with the grants manager and have gotten to see just how many projects the City has in development. A personal favorite of mine is the Carol Getchell trail which was actually one of the grants that the City received from the DCR this year,” Adie said. One project in particular allowed Adie to gain her best understanding of the funding process thus far. Known as the Carol Getchell Trail, the City recently devoted funding to increased wheelchair accessibility and a refurbishment of the trail after receiving a grant from the DCR. “A personal favorite of mine is the Carol Getchell trail which was actually one of the grants that the City received from the DCR this year. It was very cool to see the DCR award these grants during their event, and I look forward to seeing the development of the project.” After finishing the internship, Adie hopes to have a greater understanding of Finance divisions and processes. “I hope to finish writing my Standard Operating Procedures for the different divisions inside Finance and Administration, and I hope to have a well-rounded knowledge of how City Finance works. I hope to see more of the day-to-day responsibilities within the department like in the Treasurers or in Accounting. I also hope to keep learning valuable skills and helping wherever I can!” [Image Description: Our next intern post features Adie Fernandez, a resident of Framingham, who works in the Finance Department. She graduated from Framingham State University in 2021 and her favorite Framingham spot is Butterworth Park, on the border of Natick. A fun fact of hers is that she loves to paint.]