Alaina Plauche

Experience

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  Obwaagazi Children's Foundation

  Jun 2018 - Jul 2018

  Intern

  During the summer of 2018, I worked as an intern for Obwaagazi: a non-profit school for children with disabilities in Jinja, Uganda. I helped interview families of all 35 students to help the foundation better understand their home-life needs. I also gained invaluable insights into the financial, administrative, and social inner-workings of an international non-profit.

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  UNC Visitors Center

  Jan 2019 - Dec 2021

  Tour Guide

  As a tour guide, I lead tours on the highlights and history of UNC’s campus to young school groups, international guests, potential faculty, and other visitors.

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  Center for Local Governance & Research

  Aug 2019 - Dec 2019

  Intern

  At this research center aiming to strengthen democratic, local governance in Bhutan, I conducted a research project with one other intern. We interviewed local farmers participating in the Bhutan Biogas Program (BBP) and created an evaluation report on the program.

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  Southern Oral History Program at UNC Chapel Hill

  Jan 2020 - May 2020

  Undergraduate Intern

  With a team of other undergraduate interns, I curated the NC 2020 project in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the 19th Amendment. I gained experience in writing tape logs, abstracts, and transcripts for interviews to be deposited in the organization’s archives.

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  The Meantime Coffee Co.

  Mar 2020 - now

  As President of Meantime's Board of Directors, I work closely with the CEO to lead relations between the Board and the organization's Executive leadership team. Together, we forge the student-run, nonprofit's future goals, values, and mission, ensuring its long-term sustainability and maximizing its community impacts. As a barista, I prepared and served ethically and sustainably sourced coffee at UNC's only student run, non-profit coffee shop. The Meantime Coffee Co. is a student run, non-profit coffee shop housed in UNC's center for social justice and innovation: the Campus Y. While our daily operations involve serving excellent coffee to the Carolina community, our organization also prioritizes professional development for students, investing in student driven funding, and being a sustainable food hub. As CEO, I lead our executive team, sit on the Board of Directors, and spearhead any long-term strategic plans for the organization. As a barista at The Meantime Coffee Co. since 2018, I have prepared and served ethically and sustainably sourced coffee at UNC. Since May of 2020, I have served as the organization's Chief Human Resources Officer leading the non-profit's hiring process, managing payroll, organizing training procedures, and maintaining company culture.

  • Board Member

    Aug 2023 - now

  • President of the Board of Directors

    Mar 2022 - Aug 2023

  • Barista

    Sept 2018 - Jul 2023

  • Chief Executive Officer

    Mar 2021 - Mar 2022

  • Chief Human Resources Officer

    Mar 2020 - Mar 2021
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  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  Jun 2020 - Sept 2020

  Duncan MacRae Jr. Mentored Research Assistantship

  As a research assistant, I researched educational and community development policy in North Carolina during the Jim Crow era and Civil Rights Movement. I also analyzed DigitalNC newspaper archives and transcribed oral history interviews previously conducted by my mentor.

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  THE HONEYSUCKLE CAFE LLC

  Jul 2020 - Dec 2020

  Tea Program Manager

  I managed the Honeysuckle’s tea program at three business locations ordering, blending, and stocking all teas, including 8 original herbal tea blends.

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  North Carolina Center for Nonprofits

  Nov 2020 - Jun 2021

  COVID-19 Impact Project Intern

  At the North Carolina Center for Non-Profits, I work on a team addressing the needs of non-profits in the state as they face hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was sent to all registered non-profits in North Carolina in the summer of 2020 gauging the effects of the pandemic on local non-profits. The Center received over 2,000 responses requesting varied support from PPE supplies to unrestricted emergency response funding opportunities. In conjunction with the Center, the Policy Lab at Brown University, and the NC Office of Strategic Partnerships, we've been finding policy solutions to the barriers non-profits are facing in trying to serve their communities during these times. Show less

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  Death Penalty Information Center

  Jan 2021 - May 2021

  Undergraduate Intern

  At the Death Penalty Information Center, I assist staff on research projects surrounding capital punishment. Some projects include drafting daily What's News posts on current events involving the death penalty; compiling media reports highlighting the far reach of DPIC research and staff interviews; conducting reviews of the diversity of sources used in DPIC publications; and downloading, adding, analyzing, and updating data for various projects.

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  U.S. House of Representatives

  Jun 2021 - Aug 2021

  Congressional Intern

  Selected out of a pool of over 300 applicants to serve in the Office of Congressman David Price (NC-04). In this position, I wrote cosponsorship memos, compiled press clips, provided constituent services, and planned a roundtable event on clean public transportation in the district.

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  ORANGE COUNTY LIVING WAGE

  Mar 2022 - Jul 2023

  Board Member

  As a member of the Board of Directors at OCLW, I serve the organization's needs by attending monthly meetings, serving on the Governance Committee, and advocating for a living wage in my community. In addition to these responsibilities, I'm currently serving as the co-leader of OCLW's Strategic Planning Committee. Our team of 6 is formulating the nonprofit's goals and specific actions to reach those for the next 3 years through a structured strategic planning process including extensive community feedback. Show less

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  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  Aug 2022 - May 2023

  Mentoring two teams of Public Policy undergraduates through their Senior Capstone experience. One group, with the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, will be creating a toolbox of municipal and state water ordinances to help ease the Foundation's work in ensuring safe waters in our community. The other group will be working with WomenNC to track gender-based violence against queer communities in NC. As their mentor, I help to connect the student teams and community partners as well as guide the teams' work throughout the semester. Show less

  • Teaching Assistant: Senior Public Policy Capstone

    Jan 2023 - May 2023

  • Teaching Assistant: The Future of Food

    Aug 2022 - Dec 2022
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  The Conservation Fund

  May 2023 - Aug 2023

  Government Resources Intern

  This summer, I'm working with Resourceful Communities: The Conservation Fund's community and economic development program. Resourceful Communities works with a network of over 500 grassroots, environmental nonprofits and organizations across the state, providing grant funding, technical assistance, and capacity building support. Resourceful Communities takes a triple bottom line approach, focusing on supporting economic, environmental, and social justice benefits through our work with community partners in our network.As the Government Resources Intern, I'm focused on demystifying various state, regional, and local government agencies and processes to help Resourceful Communities and our community partners work more effectively. Through independent research and interviews with local government agency officials, I am working to produce a set of deliverables (for internal use within the organization and external use with our community partners) with goals to foster collaboration across the state, increase access to existing resources, and encourage public engagement at the local level. Show less

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  The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF)

  Sept 2023 - now

  Community Impact Analyst

  Thanks to the support of the Alaska Fellows Program, I'll be spending this year as a fellow with the Alaska Community Foundation. ACF has a wide portfolio of over 2,000 funds across the state, granting between $7 and $10 million annually. I'll be working to evaluate the impact ACF's statewide support has on Alaskan communities through data analysis and community outreach.