West Virginia University Days

At West Virginia University, Natalie started out majoring in the family “business” -
education. Both her parents and four of her brothers and sister are teachers. But the
love of telling stories, especially positive ones about the people and places of West
Virginia soon turned Natalie’s attention to journalism. Natalie graduated in 1991 and
started her television broadcast career.

In 1990, she was selected as the
first - and to date only - female to represent the University as the Mountaineer Mascot. Despite the criticisms, threats and verbal
abuse from people who didn’t think that a woman should be the Mountaineer, Natalie held her head high, stayed dedicated to her commitment to be the Mountaineer and carried the muzzleloader with pride.

Natalie applies that same determnation and courage today in everything she tackles.
She doesn’t back down from a challenge and will never give up fighting for what is best for West Virginia.

As a television anchor and reporter, Natalie used that same drive and determination to win several statewide awards on her reporting of the Mountain State. Her feature stories emphasized the best of West Virginia. Natalie has worked in both the Clarksburg and Charleston television markets and while in college spent a summer in London as an intern working for ABC News.

Family

Natalie and her husband,
State Senator Erik Wells
(8th District, Kanawha)
were married on West
Virginia Day, June 20,
1998 in Fairmont, W.Va.

Natalie and Erik have one daughter, Delaney who is almost six years old.

Erik and Natalie operate Wells Media Group LLC
a small business that focuses on media training and video production.

Erik and Natalie both serve on the board of the Great Rivers Affiliate of the American Heart Association. Erik is also a Navy Reserve Public Affairs Officer.