Meet INHF's Newest Interns and Mark C. Ackelson Fellow
Posted on January 29, 2024 in Blog
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is happy to welcome Emily Bell, Jordan McDowell and Camilla Price to the team. Emily and Jordan will be completing internships during the 2024 spring semester, and Camilla is serving as the Mark C. Ackelson Fellow. Learn more about them and their roles at INHF below.
Emily Bell
Legal Intern
Emily Bell is joining the team as our legal intern for the 2024 spring semester. Originally from Aurora, Colorado, Emily is currently enrolled at Drake Law School and received her undergraduate degree from Simpson College majoring in Business Management and Psychology with a minor in Health Services Leadership.
Emily will support a variety of INHF’s legal tasks including drafting agreements, researching issues and working on conservation easements. As a land trust that collaborates with other non-profits, government agencies and private landowners, Emily says she can see how this internship with INHF will provide valuable experience in managing the many moving pieces behind land protection projects.
“I enjoy how this work intersects so many different areas of the law which keeps it both interesting and challenging,” Emily says. “It is the crossroads between law and nature, which is so unique, and truly something that allows you to see how the work impacts the people and State of Iowa.”
Jordan McDowell
Graphic Design Intern
Jordan McDowell has joined Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation’s communications team as a design intern. Jordan grew up in Boone and spent much of her younger years exploring her hometown’s park system, with Ledges State Park noted as her favorite.
She is a non-traditional student in her sophomore year at Iowa State University, studying graphic design with an emphasis in UI/UX design. As the design intern with INHF, Jordan looks forward to helping communicate important climate change issues through graphic design and getting involved with public policy concerning conservation efforts by INHF. She also hopes to further her skills in UI/UX design and photography and learn more about conservation work in Iowa.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a deep concern for climate change issues as well as an interest in native prairie conservation. My designs tend to lean into nature depictions, and my messages conveyed are often related to social issues that I care about,” said Jordan. “Getting to experience the behind-the-scenes efforts of INHF while exploring a field I love and care deeply about is incredibly exciting!”
Jordan's favorite native plant is the purple coneflower, although she loves photographing and illustrating all types of prairie flowers and wildlife. “I am so grateful to the communications team at INHF for taking a chance on me, and for the opportunities and knowledge to come from this internship.”
Camilla Price
Mark C. Ackelson Fellow
Camilla Price comes to INHF from Fort Worth, Texas as the Mark C. Ackelson Fellow for public policy. She is excited to advocate for natural resources protection in Iowa that benefits both wildlife and local communities.
Camilla graduated from Texas Christian University in 2023, where she studied biology and journalism, and still roots for the Horned Frogs. Previously, she managed the communications for a statewide conservation nonprofit in Texas, assisted with wildlife research in Texas and Washington state, and wrote for TCU Magazine as an editorial intern.
Camilla loves to spend time wildlife watching and exploring new nature areas. Reach out to her about policy issues, Iowa wildlife, and your favorite places to eat in Des Moines!