Ellise Gallagher, Epicenter Summer Intern


In addition to Evan Rimoldi, this week we welcome Ellise Gallagher to the Epicenter team. Ellise joins us as a Habitat for Humanity of Castle Country intern focused full-time on the A Brush With Kindness, a critical home repair program through Habitat. A Brush With Kindness is similar to Epicenter’s Fix It First program, but follows Habitat for Humanity guidelines and serves both Emery and Carbon Counties. Ellise will be working alongside Steph Crabtree, a returning summer inter. Keep an eye out for more information on Steph later this week. As an introduction, we asked Ellise some questions about herself.

Q: First, how do you say your first name? Ee-lees? Ah-lees-ee?
A: Ellise (Uh – lees) Gallagher (Gal – luh – gur)

Q: What are you currently doing?
A: I am enrolled in school at Auburn University studying architecture. Actually, I’m currently in Rome, Italy, with a study abroad program. (Editor’s note: Like Ellise, Epicenter’s co-founders, Jack Forninash, Rand Pinson, and Maria Sykes all attended Auburn University, studied architecture, and participated in the Rome study-abroad program.)

Q: What is your age, birth place, zodiac sign, Myers-Briggs type, and spirit animal?
A: I will be 21 on March 23. I was born in Heidelberg, Germany. I am an Aries, ENFJ, and my spirit animal is a gorilla.

Q: Do you have siblings? If so, where are you in birth order?
A: Yes, I have two sisters and one brother and I am the youngest of the bunch. I also have a brother-in-law, niece and nephew.

Q: What excites you about this internship position?
A: The things that excite me the most about this internship position are: meeting new people that share some of the same/similar interests as me, helping the people of Carbon and Emery Counties, experiencing the West, and learning from my colleagues, the locals, and the environment.

Q: How does this internship fit into your big picture/career/life?
A: As an architecture student, this internship fits into my future plans because I would like to pursue a life that involves helping people in need. I think coming to work and live out in Green River will help me learn how to understand processes, relationships, and communications needed to better the lives of others in a professional setting. Not everyone can afford expensive housing (things), but that doesn’t mean it can’t be healthy and beautiful.

Q: What book, movie, or person is significant to your work/process/life? Why?
A: The Poisonwood Bible was a really influential book to me. It reminds me that there are many different backgrounds and perspectives in the world and no one view is “correct.”

Q: If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
A: I’m not specifically sure what super human power I would want, but I think something with being able to breathe and see under water would be super cool. I would love to explore the oceans just as conveniently as exploring on land.