Natalie (Sparacio) Hayden is a former TV news anchor and reporter whose mission in life is to advocate for those battling inflammatory bowel disease. She was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in July 2005, two months after graduating from Marquette University. Her award-winning blog, Lights, Camera, Crohn’s, which launched in July 2016, covers everything from overcoming struggles to celebrating small victories throughout all parts of the patient journey from diagnosis and beyond.

Along with her blog, Natalie is part of the Patient Advisory Board for IBD Moms and IBD Social Circle (#IBDSC), on the Patient Engagement Research Council for Janssen Pharmaceutical, and serves on the Patient Leadership Council for the Social Health Network. She's also a patient advisor for the PIANO (Pregnancy Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Neonatal Outcomes research project), and a contributor to Everyday Health.

Natalie was selected as the IBD Research Insider and Patient Reporter for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and the American Gastroenterological Association. She is also an active volunteer and spokesperson for the Mid-American chapter of the Foundation. Natalie has been featured by Women's Health Magazine, CBS This Morning, Wall Street Journal, Prevention Magazine, Self Magazine, The Mighty, and on several podcasts. Natalie was honored with the Social Health Award's Community Cultivator Award in 2022.

Most recently, she was the U.S. Patient Ambassador for the first-ever Global Consensus Conference for Pregnancy and IBD and spoke as a panelist for the FDA regarding safety of biologics and small molecules in pregnancy. As an IBD mom of three children, Natalie hopes her story can comfort, educate, and inspire fellow patients.