Austin’s son, Owen, was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome in November of 2014 at the age of 13 months. In the spring of 2015, she and her family attended an epilepsy conference in California. There they met Dr. Charlotte Dravet and veteran Dravet families. The love and advice the Watsons received from those families forged deep bonds and gave hope to their newly diagnosed family. It is for this reason Austin is most excited to be a Parent Ambassador.
In 2016 Austin and her family organized their first Goin’ For Owen: 5k for Dravet fundraiser. For the next three years they organized this event before pausing due to COVID-19 concerns. Austin plans to resume large-scale fundraising soon.
Originally from NW Washington, Austin has been a resident of Boise Idaho for the past 12 years. In addition to Owen, Austin is mother to daughter Dylan, and is wife to Stewart. As a family they love camping in their motorhome, playing games at home, and going to the zoo.
Prior to becoming a full-time caregiver for her son, Austin taught English language learners after receiving her MA in elementary education from Concordia University. Before teaching, she obtained her BA in entrepreneurship from Washington State University and sold underground utility pipe. In her spare time, she enjoys belly dancing, singing, reading, watching movies, and has recently started hiking.
