Founder
Natalie Niekro
Natalie Niekro, the daughter of Joe, is the founder of The Joe Niekro Foundation™. Her passion for the cause began when she unexpectedly lost her father to a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2006. It was then that she knew she had to do something to bring awareness to this devastating condition and help the patients and families who are struggling just as she was. An independent successful entrepreneur of two companies, Natalie made the decision to start another venture…one that would soon change her life forever. This was the beginning to the greatest endeavor of her life. Whether you are a patient, family member, friend or caregiver, WE ARE ALL SURVIVORS and that is the attitude Natalie lives by each and every day!
Keeping her father’s legacy alive is part of the magic that makes this foundation not only successful, but undeniably unique. With a nationwide support network of nearly 20,000 survivors, families and caregivers, and alignments with some of the greatest doctors and hospitals in the country, The Joe Niekro Foundation is leading the way for groundbreaking discoveries in neurological research, while providing a safe haven for patients and their families in their recovery.
Natalie’s passion for patients is evident in her everyday life and career path. Not only is she the spokesperson for the foundation, but is also the Director of Patient Focused Programs for Penumbra, Inc. a global healthcare company focused on interventional therapies. Penumbra designs, develops, manufactures and markets devices that address challenging medical conditions and significant clinical needs across two major markets, neuro and peripheral vascular. Her emphasis in the neurological arena has given her the platform to be the voice for patients and families across the globe.
In 2017, Natalie became a survivor herself when she was diagnosed with two brain aneurysms. Now walking the difficult road as a patient, Natalie knows first hand the importance of a strong support network and is eternally grateful for the community that has rallied her during this process.
Natalie is an advertising and psychology double major graduate of Florida Southern College. She and her husband Luke reside in Scottsdale, AZ and are the proud parents of a four year old son, Canyon.