Ileane Barrera 

Congressional Intern, Presented by Toyota 

Hometown: Merrick, New York 

School: Columbia University in the City of New York 

Major: Political Science 

Placement: The Office of Sen. Chuck Schumer 

As the daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants, Ileane learned that through determination, strength, and education, she could drive the positive change she wanted to see in the world. Growing up, she directly observed educational inequalities across New York, particularly evident between her family’s hometown of Queens, and where she grew up in Long Island. This awareness motivated her to dedicate herself to equalizing opportunities in higher education. Currently a student at Columbia University studying Political Science and Public Health, Ileane aspires to attend law school in the future to bring about this change. 

In high school, she initiated her public service journey by co-founding one of the first all-girls Boy Scouts troops, empowering young women in a historically male-dominated sector. As an undergraduate, Ileane has since served as a Constituent Service Intern for New York State Senator Jessica Ramos, instructed an introductory law course for local high schoolers at the Double Discovery Center at Columbia University, and held a regional internship at the U.S. Senate. Driven by her shared experiences as a first-generation, low-income student, she co-founded the Uplift Fellowship to facilitate access to higher education. Ileane’s goal is to merge her passion for serving underrepresented communities with a career in law and politics. 

While with CHCI, Ileane aims to understand the legislative process intricately and how she can apply her advocacy skills to achieve impactful change. She looks forward to refining her research skills to craft more effective policies benefiting her communities.