Natalie Ceelen

Natalie Ceelen grew up in Mequon, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics & Genomics and a minor in Global Health. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as a research assistant examining the effects of epigenetic markers on neurological disorders related to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Alzheimer’s Disease. Natalie was also the president of UW-Wishmakers On Campus, a student-led organization that fundraises and supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Outside of school, Natalie worked as a Respite Care Provider where she provided one-on-one care for a young boy with severe autism, depression, and anxiety. She also worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) where she provided compassionate, patient-focused care to a diverse patient population at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin.

After graduation, Natalie worked as a Genetic Counseling Assistant (GCA) at The Mitochondrial Medicine Frontier Program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA. Outside of her role as a GCA, Natalie volunteered as a Reading Coach through Achieve Now where she provided weekly tutoring sessions to a second-grade student on the fundamentals of reading, phonics, and spelling. She also volunteered as a Crisis Counselor Volunteer through Crisis Text Line.

In her free time, Natalie enjoys cooking, traveling, listening to live music (especially country music), exploring nature, trying new restaurants, and spending time with friends and family.