From New York to the West Coast, PG&E’s 2025 Interns Are Making a Big Splash

This summer, PG&E welcomed 166 interns from 53 different universities, each bringing their own creativity, passion, curiosity and drive to make a difference at one of the nation’s most forward-thinking gas-and-electric utilities.

On this National Intern Day, we celebrate and highlight the incredible contributions our interns make toward shaping the future of PG&E while gaining hands-on experience in the energy industry. Meet Sadie Carpenter, Asher Patel, Loic Billaut, Sophia Terebilo and Nicholas Donaldson, five interns whose summer here has been eye-opening, intense, fun and maybe even life changing.

***

Sadie Carpenter, a student at the University of Georgia majoring in political science and international affairs, interned with the Government Relations team. This summer she experienced the inner workings of the team by sitting in on discussions regarding proposed bills and shadowing coworkers as they lobby at the Capitol. 

“I have learned about the inner workings of how a company can interact on the state level with legislators to take a stand on different bills and advocate for why they will affect the company and its customers,” says Carpenter.

A native of Napa, she experienced the 2017 Atlas Fire firsthand.

“It was a terrible experience, and since then I have wanted to be a part of the change in future wildfire prevention,” she adds. 

She expressed her appreciation for the amazing work PG&E does in wildfire prevention and keeping customers safe. “I have been able to experience the work that is done behind the scenes through this internship.” 

***

Asher Patel, a student at Cornell University in New York studying industrial and labor relations, serves as a business analyst intern for the Revenue Controls and Policy team within the Customer & Enterprise Solutions group. His work focuses on local compliance reviews and data analysis for PG&E’s customer billing systems, which has been “a great multidisciplinary experience and a testament to the diverse role of the Revenue Controls and Policy team.”

A Bay Area native, Patel shared that he has seen the resilience of PG&E this past decade as well as the impact PG&E has on the communities it serves. 

“I enjoy being able to do work that has a true impact on the communities where I grew up,” he says. He also described the many thoughtful conversations he has had across different functional areas, from the Government Relations team to Customer Protection Inspectors. Beyond the internship, Asher trains to represent Aruba in track at the Junior Panamerican Games.

***

Loic Billaut studies electrical engineering at the University of California at Los Angeles. This summer he supported the Grid Innovation Delivery team with Utility Partnerships and Innovation, where he reviews remote grid designs, ensures documentation and records are accurate and contributes his thoughts on how to improve the grid.

Billaut also enjoys his team culture. 

“What I love most about my team is how welcoming they have been and how they encourage questions. They have given me the opportunity to really contribute,” he says. 

Billaut shared his passion for engineering and explained how PG&E is the perfect fit because he wanted to explore power engineering and renewable energy, which aren’t taught at UCLA. 

“Climate is one of the most important challenges in the world, and being a part of the engineering community to tackle this problem is something I aspire to do with my life,” Billaut said. 

***

Sophia Terebilo, a finance and management major at Tulane University in New Orleans, interned for the Gas Transmission Operations team. This is Sophia’s second summer interning at PG&E. Last year, she worked in Transmission and Substation Project Controls.

“Having worked both in electric and now with the gas project management teams, I have developed a well-rounded understanding of how PG&E operates on both commodities,” Sophia says. 

She contributes to project closeouts, leads Daily Operating Reviews and helps organize Safety Challenges for “Third Thursday.”

Terebilo is thankful to have worked for a team that was so welcoming. 

“I am proud to work for a company that makes continuous strides to deliver for its hometowns’ prosperity, safely and efficiently,” she says.

***

Nicholas Donaldson, an electrical engineering major at Stanford University, worked as an Advanced Technology Services (ATS) Innovation Engineer Intern. “I wanted to dive headfirst into technological solutions and solve tangible problems, and in ATS, I feel like I’m at the heart of it all,” says Nicholas.

One summer highlight was when Donaldson had a “field day” where he operated a camera on a drone for one of PG&E’s transmission tower inspections. Hands-on experiences like this one during a PG&E internship are valuable and carry over into all aspects of life. 

“This company’s innovation in sustainability and community-focused solutions aligns exactly with life goals of mine,” he says. “I am inspired to contribute meaningful projects that make a difference in people’s lives.“

About the author

Audrey Reiser studies journalism at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She is a summer intern in Marketing & Communications.