Amy Chan has a dual BS in Political Science and Environmental Studies from Santa Clara University and recently received her MPA from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She has worked for various elected officials and levels of government, including the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, the United States House of Representatives, and the U.S. Air Force. Amy has strong interests in climate change, sustainability initiatives, and land use planning.

Amy’s first rotation begins in Environmental Services conducting significant research and analysis regarding carbon offsets, renewable energy certificates, and their potential value to the City. This work will be closely aligned with the Green Vision and the City’s climate action efforts.

Why did you decide to do your Management Fellowship with the City of San José?
When I first moved to the Bay Area, I was impressed by the San José local, community feel while serving as the capital of Silicon Valley. Then my growing interest in environmental policy and sustainability brought me back to this city of innovation and technology because I wanted to be apart of the action and change.  

Why do you like working at the City of San José?
San José’s long history of supporting the Fellowship makes this job quite possibly the best opportunity for post-graduate students to experience the real expectations of local government. My favorite part of the day is riding the elevators and meeting talented, intelligent people who love their job and are proud of the city they work for.  

What cool projects have you worked on at the City of San José?
My specific project falls under the Environmental Service’s Office of Sustainability, where I am finding that all of our projects are interrelated. As mentioned above, I am conducting research about the voluntary carbon offsets market. Yet, I have learned more than just information related to my project. Thus, a part of my project is a better understanding of municipal government climate action plans.

What has been the most amazing experience or day you've had at the City thus far?
Surprisingly, my most amazing experience can be summarized from a conference call just the other day. We were brainstorming and discussing issues about my project when someone referred to me as a City expert in my field of research. I then realized that it is not that I am an expert; it’s that I am researching a new and exciting area of study and that I am working on a high-priority project for the City. Each day this Fellowship opportunity continues to surprise me with a balance of amazing and realistic experiences.

Alexandra Orologas has a BA with a double major in Politics and Legal Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz and received her MPA from San José State University in 2008. She has worked in local government, both City and County, and managed a campaign in 2007. Alexandra served us in HR as a Graduate Intern for the last year, and she has strong interests in mass transit, local government succession planning and university-government relationships.

Alexandra’s rotation begins in DOT working primarily on the BART project, facilitating high-level stakeholder groups to advance the project, and leading a VTA-City implementation effort to address land use, public art, and community impact issues.

Why did you decide to do your Management Fellowship with the City of San José?
I wanted to be involved in the Management Fellowship program because I wanted to diversify my career portfolio. Before the fellowship, I was a graduate intern in the Human Resources Department at the City of San José working on projects related to workforce development. The chance to get 3 month snapshots of 4 different departments is truly a priceless experience in which I am thankful for.

Why do you like working at the City of San José?
I love working at the City of San José because it is a City that is full of innovation and collaboration. Because San José is a growing big City, this, in turn, creates many exciting and creative projects for employees to get involved and truly make a difference in.

What cool projects have you worked on at the City of San José?
During my time in the Department of Transportation, I have worked on projects relating to creating an Visual Design Objective Plan for the proposed San José BART stations, assisted on the development of an RFI for a Automated Transit Network and helped to establish effective dialogue between the City and the VTA planning groups.

What has been the most amazing experience or day you've had at the City thus far?
Meeting Rod Diridon, Executive Director of the Mineta Institute at San José State University, and getting the chance to talk with him about his efforts on the California High Speed Rail Initiative and other current transportation topics.