SEMCOG Welcomes New Class of Interns

For the first time since the pandemic, SEMCOG is pleased to welcome a new class of interns. Over the next 12 months, (pictured from left to right) Zachary Phelps (that’s me), Gustaf Rytting, Kassandra Maraz, Kaitlin Knape, and Kennedy Boyd will be assisting SEMCOG’s operations and initiatives to make Southeast Michigan a better place for all.

Gustaf Rytting

Gus is an intern with SEMCOG’s Data Analysis department. He’s from Houston, Texas with degrees from Valparaiso University and the University of Michigan. Gus is excited to work on integrating AI and deep learning modeling into SEMCOG’s data analysis.

He has experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and he worked on his capstone project in North Central, Montana (where this photo was taken). This time was spent identifying bison wallows using machine learning and deep learning remote sensing models. Gus was drawn to SEMCOG because of the organization’s high-quality data production across many fields of interest.

In his free time, Gus enjoys going on road trips, gardening, hiking, fishing, and trying new restaurants.

Kennedy Boyd

Kennedy, a senior at Michigan State University studying Urban and Regional Planning, will intern with SEMCOG’s Economic and Community Vitality team. Kennedy is excited to help with data center zoning guides as well as SEMCOG University webinars and workshops.

Kennedy is from northwest Detroit and her interest in planning and sustainability materialized after an AP Environmental Science field trip during her days at Renaissance High School.

SEMCOG’s broad scope of regional planning is something Kennedy is interested in. She has extensive internship experience with the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Transformation department and with Green Living Science.

In her free time, Kennedy enjoys playing tennis, kayaking, watching football, playing guitar, listening to music, and going on nature walks.

Kaitlin Knape

Kaitlin is an Urban and Regional Planning Master’s student at the University of Michigan. A graduate of the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Political Science, Kaitlin was drawn to regional planning because of its direct impact on daily life.

Kaitlin will be working as an intern with SEMCOG’s Environment and Infrastructure Department, where she’s most excited to work on flooding resilience initiatives as well as parks and recreation projects. She wants to make a positive impact on environmental initiatives within Southeast Michigan, and she knows she’ll gain valuable experience with SEMCOG.

She enjoys running and language learning in her free time.

Kassandra Maraz

Kassandra Maraz is a first-generation graduate of Eastern Michigan University and currently a dual-masters graduate student at the University of Michigan studying Urban and Regional Planning and Environmental Justice. This past April, she completed a 1.5-year capstone project on the impacts of climate change advocacy on climate policy in the United Kingdom.

Kassandra is from Ludington, Michigan, and she’ll be working as a Transportation and Planning intern with SEMCOG’s Transportation and Modeling team and the Mobility team. She’s excited to learn new tools such as LOCUS Big Data and to participate in community engagement, develop new skills, and work alongside talented partners.

After honing an array of environmental skills during an internship with U of M’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum managing invasive species removal and maintaining donor tree plots, Kassandra is excited to gain work experience with planning.

Kassandra was attracted to SEMCOG after seeing how vital the data from the organization was to various projects on both the environmental and planning sides of her education.

In her free time, Kassandra enjoys sitting on Lake Michigan, gardening, going on runs, visiting the Nichols Arboretum, crocheting, sewing, and playing video games.

Zachary Phelps

Zach is a current Advertising Management student at Michigan State University, and he’ll be interning with SEMCOG’s communications team. Zach has extensive writing experience with MSU’s Residential and Hospitality Services as well as MSU University Communications and Marketing.

Zach was attracted to SEMCOG because of the positive impact the organization has on millions of people throughout Southeast Michigan. He wants to make the region in which he grew up a better place for all and do so through effective communications.

In his free time, Zach enjoys exploring his two favorite cities: East Lansing and Ann Arbor; going on walks; reading novels and the news; doing anything outdoors (especially along water); and spending time with his two golden retrievers.