Natalie Marie Fontenot is originally from Mauriceville, Texas but is currently living in Austin and will be traveling to New York to assist VIDES at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelors of Arts in Government and Middle Eastern Studies. Natalie works for the State Legislature as a Committee Clerk and Policy Analyst for the Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade. She is involved in many community organizations in Austin like DiscoverHope Fund and the Multicultural Refugee Coalition.
Natalie was inspired to serve as a VIDES volunteer because of its dedication to serving women and youth by assisting them in finding opportunities for everyone to contribute their best self to the world. In her childhood she spent four very formative years living in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia where she attended an international school and planted the seed of her passion for international development work. During FSC camp, Natalie was further inspired by learning more about St. Mary Mazzarello and St. John Bosco and the Salesian values particularly the values of learning about being free to love as God loves and discover our authentic self.
