26 msfocusmagazine.org By Tony DiGerolamo “I enjoy helping people and making a difference in the lives of others. Working with MSFocushasnotonlymademeabetterperson, but it has also given me a betterunderstanding of what is really important in life.” Natalie Blake is the director of Program Services at MS Focus. While she began her career as a news reporter, her involvement in the nonprofit health community sprang from thebirthofhertwosons,eachbornwithchronic health conditions. Soon, she made the decision todevoteherselffull-timetohelpingotherswith chronic conditions. She worked tirelessly for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, then for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. In2009,shejoinedtheteamasourEducational Programs Coordinator and was in charge of planning events across the country, as well as securing educational grants so those programs could be funded. In 2012, she was promoted to her current position. She said, “I oversee the entire Program Services Department, so I am in charge of the staff who take calls, handle cases, and make purchases for all of our programs and services.” With a staff of more than 20 people and nearly two dozen programs and services, Natalie’s role puts her in charge of some of the most important aspects of MS Focus, but her responsibilities don’t stop there. “I am also responsible for managing advocacy,” she said, “and I frequently travel to events where I meet with lawmakers, or publicly speak, about the needs of the MS community.” Natalie has extensive experience in this area, from having testified before Congress regarding healthcare reform during the Clinton administration, to appearing before the Florida state senate’s Housing and Banking Insurance Committeelastyear.(SeeanaccountofNatalie’s experience on page 52.) In this aspect of her work, Natalie represents the MS community with many different advocacy groups. She currently serves as vice president of the MS Coalition, an organization comprised of nine national MS nonprofits across America. She also represents MS Focus in the Spasticity Alliance, Bladder Health Alliance, and the National StrokeAssociation, as well as serving as an ambassador for PCORI (Patient- Centered Outcomes Research Institute). While her job has always included juggling a lot of responsibilities, Natalie actually finds herself growing busier with each passing year. “I’ve been here nearly ten years, and MS Focus has grown a lot since I started. After my second year, we had to move to a larger building. We have added so many services Natalie Blake MS Focus Activities