Events and Communications Intern

Highstead Foundation in Redding, Connecticut, is recruiting a full-time Events and Communications Intern. This hybrid role involves one in-office day per week in Redding, CT. The intern will support Highstead’s Conservation Program for 15 weeks from September 2 to December 12, 2025. The intern will receive a stipend of $20 per hour.

Highstead is a regional non-profit conservation organization dedicated to inspiring curiosity and building knowledge about plants and wooded landscapes to enhance life, preserve nature, and advance sound stewardship practices. We envision a healthier, more livable world for all by working with our partners to responsibly conserve the land that sustains us and to steward our natural spaces, resources, and communities thoughtfully and inclusively.

Overview:

The major focus for this position will be in support of the Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) Network Gathering, an in-person conference for over 200 regional conservation practitioners. The conference will be held at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on November 5 and 6. Attendance at the event is mandatory.

The Communication and Events Intern will be responsible for the following:

• Assist in event programming development and implementation
• Assist with event planning documents, speaker tracking, and communications
• Develop content for RCP Network e-newsletters, social media, and websites
• Create virtual event materials (programs, evaluations) and support online registration
• Outreach to partners for event participation and help create in-person meeting materials (agendas, signage, name tags)
• Support Conservation staff with RCP Network initiatives, meeting notes, and report updates
• Assist in RCP program meetings, webinars, and events (e.g., Hudson to Housatonic, Northeast Bird Habitat Conservation Initiatives)

Qualifications:

• Strong interest in event planning and implementation
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite, graphic design software (Canva or Photoshop), and social media platforms
• Excellent and effective verbal and written communication skills and ability to convey work to a variety of audiences through email, presentations, meetings, and online formats

What you’ll gain from us:

• Hands-on experience in event planning and management
• Develop a wide range of skills, including communication, organization, and problem-solving
• An opportunity to learn, grow, and ask questions
• Career networking opportunities

What we need from you:

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent lived experience
• An interest in conservation and protecting the environment
• Ability to express new ideas and visual concepts
• Curiosity, ingenuity, perseverance, teamwork, and problem-solving skills
• A collaborative spirit who enjoys both independent and group work