NoHLA welcomes our 2020 summer Extern, Natalie McCarthy. Natalie is from Tacoma, WA and is a third year law student at Seattle University. Natalie’s interest in health care began early when she lost her sight to brain cancer at age 10 and as a result, aspired to become an advocate for individuals with disabilities. Natalie earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from Pacific Lutheran University in 2009 and started work toward a career that incorporated both health and social justice.

Before committing to the life of a law student, Natalie chased a dream that arose during her years on the collegiate varsity crew. She trained with the US Para-rowing national team for several years and competed at the 2013, 2015, and 2017 World Rowing Championships. Although Natalie retired from Elite competition, she took on leadership roles advocating for disabled athletes.

Also before law school, Natalie worked as a Bilingual Intake Specialist at the Northwest Justice Project, where she learned about the legal issues facing individuals from low income communities across the state, many of which related to health care. She also worked as a Case Manager at the Dispute Resolution Center of King County and became certified as a Mediator. Most recently, Natalie furthered her interest in social and health justice while working for Disability Rights Washington.

Natalie looks forward to combining her legal knowledge with her personal and professional experiences to support NoHLA in its important mission of promoting healthcare justice.