Intern Receives Glimpse Into County Government

Gene Williams, 24 (Center) a recent graduate from California Polytechnic University of Pomona and a Dameron Communications intern, spent the day with County Supervisor Josie Gonzales (right) and Deputy Chief of Staff Lisha Smith (left) for a recent “shadow day.” The shadow day gives college students, who are interested in starting a career in government, a behind-the-scenes look in county government.

Photo By: Christopher Sloan



(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzales gave Gene Williams a look into county government as he “shadowed” the supervisor recently at the San Bernardino county offices.

Josie Gonzales’ district covers Rialto, eastern Fontana, Colton and parts of San Bernardino.
The shadow day was to educate college students who are interested in starting a career within county government, providing a clear perspective in their ultimate career goals.

“I could not pass up this opportunity to meet with the supervisor and spend the day with local decision makers; receiving this one-of-a-kind experience was a privilege,” said Williams.

The day started with introductions from the Fifth District staff and a discussion with County Public Information Officer David Wert.

“Everything we discussed regarding public information and its role within the county was truly beneficial regarding my professional goals,” added Williams.

After the discussion with Wert, Williams sat in meetings with Gonzales and Deputy Chief of Staff Lisha Smith. This provided an intimate look at how both worked with other county officials and organizations.

“He sat in on priority issue appointments with First 5 San Bernardino, the Foothill AIDS Project and the Inland Valley Development Agency, as well as meetings with Mayor Patrick Morris, Fontana Herald reporter Maria Elena Kennedy and members of the county’s top nursing staff,” said Gonzales. “I was very pleased with his reaction at the end of the day.”

The day also entailed a trip to the San Bernardino County Human Resources department where Williams met Department Director Andrew Lamberto and Senior Human Resources Analyst Summer Adams. There Williams received a few tips to successfully search for any open county positions.

The entire experience gave Williams a chance to see what it would be like to work in a government office.

“I hope that taking advantage of an opportunity to shadow me was rewarding for Gene,” said Gonzales. “While he had no idea what to expect before the day began, he seemed surprised by the diversity and amount of work that gets done on a daily basis.”

Gene Williams is a recent graduate of California Polytechnic University Pomona and an intern with advertising and public relations agency Dameron Communications in San Bernardino. His goal is to start a career with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department through its public affairs division.

For more information on Dameron Communications call (909) 888-0321.

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Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our divers client base locally, regionally and nationally. We are an award winning agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. We use our 20 years of communications knowledge and experience to advance our clients’ objectives.