Experience, Leadership and Advocacy

Over a decade as an advocate on the ground and in the halls of the state legislature, Natalie has firsthand experience influencing decision makers on smart, sound public policy.

She has worked tirelessly as a convener and organizer in communities that historically, have been underrepresented and overlooked in the development of policies that directly affect daily life. As organizations and institutions strive to be inclusive of all points of view in who they serve, Natalie’s knowledge helps to both hone proposals to be more successful in policymaking and strengthens advocacy for those policies on behalf of a wide diversity of interests.

Natalie’s successes are particularly visible in education, economic development, and community development, including housing. She has been effective in moving policymakers entrenched in political positions.

Natalie served as the Washington state organizing director for a national nonprofit advocacy organization, where she focused on supporting families in their fight for improved college and career readiness standards, funding equity, and for the expansion of mental health resources in schools.

As Co-President of a charter public school advocacy organization, a new sector in Washington State that faced considerable headwinds prior to its establishment, Natalie’s leadership and direction led charter public school families closer to education equity. In 2021, Washington’s legislature eschewed charter public schools entirely. With Natalie’s leadership heading the policy and advocacy team, in 2024 the Washington State Legislature passed no-threshold equitable funding.

Her advocacy experience and leadership are personal. She is adept at tackling challenging issues and at navigating evolving conversations on topics that others avoid.