Natalie (she/her) is a third year medical student at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. She was born and raised in Olympia, Washington, attending Centennial Elementary, Washington Middle and Olympia High Schools. She graduated from University of Washington – Seattle in 2022 where she received dual degrees in Neuroscience and Disability Studies. She is passionate about making her communities more inclusive and accessible for people with and without intellectual/developmental disabilities. Her passion began in middle and high school, where she built meaningful friendships with peers with IDD and gained a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusion and equal opportunities. During her freshman year of college, she co-founded Thurston County Inclusion and was the Executive Director of the organization until she began medical school in 2023. In medical school, she has continued to be involved with the disability community, including starting a Special Olympics unified team, starting a student organization focused on disability, chronic illnesses and neurodiversity, and sitting on the student resident boards for AADMD and AAP. She is excited to bring the values of inclusion, compassion and innovation to her career in medicine, where she plans to pursue a field serving youth and/or adults with IDD in Washington. Outside of school, you can find Natalie doing something outside - skiing, biking, hiking, golfing, or playing with a dog.