Ellie Dessart is a dedicated and inquisitive learner with a passion for children’s rights and family advocacy. As a Junior at Vanderbilt University, she has gained an array of leadership and outreach experiences through her involvement in Women in Government and the Vanderbilt chapter of Toastmasters International. Ellie is double majoring in Child Studies and Human & Organizational Development (HOD). Her interest in vulnerable youth populations is evident in her extensive research on childhood maltreatment and the structural and community barriers foster and adopted youth face. Additionally, her own adopted background has sparked a desire to serve other families in a similar position. Ellie enjoys exploring different bakeries in the DMV area, baking up her sweet treats, playing Taylor Swift songs on the ukulele, and getting lost in a good true crime book.