
Natalee Deaette (she/her)
As a first-generation college graduate, Natalee's passion for educational equity stems from her own experience as a proud TRIO Upward Bound alum. Participating in that program inspired her to return as a residential counselor for 3 summers, working with other first-generation, high financial need high school students in northern Vermont (where she's from). Working for this program fueled her growing passion for public service and helped her to realize that she wants to spend the rest of her life fighting to ensure that every student, regardless of their background, has the same support and resources to pursue higher education.
Natalee earned her Bachelor's degree from Boston College, where she studied Applied Psychology and Human Development with a concentration in Community Advocacy and Social Policy. While there, she served on the leadership team for both the undergraduate government and the Emerging Leader Program, a leadership development program for first-year students.
In her free time, Natalee loves spending time outdoors or curling up with a good book.
Favorite College Experience: "Spending a semester abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece. I had never traveled much before that, so those three months pushed me so far out of my comfort zone, but in the best way. Highlights included going on trips to 6 other countries, hiking and canyoning Mt. Olympus, 4-wheeling by the ocean in Santorini, and visiting the cat museum in Amsterdam!"
Advice for High School and College Students: "Never count yourself out of any opportunity that comes your way. Some of my most impactful and empowering experiences in college started out as pipe dreams, and even those that ultimately ended in rejection helped me grow in so many ways."
Favorite Food: "It's a toss up between sushi, and anything fried..."