User:Anthony Commale/sandbox

Biography of Katherine Commale

One bed net at a time; that's how Katherine Commale started sending life-saving mosquito nets to families in need. When she was just five years old, she learned about the pesky mosquito that carries malaria in Africa and wanted to do something to help keep families safe from this deadly disease. By 17, she had sent hundreds of thousands of bed nets and inspired countless others around the world to support the Nothing But Nets (United Nations Foundation) and Imagine No Malaria (United Methodist Church) campaigns, which have collectively raised over $100 million. When Katherine started her advocacy in 2006, a child was dying every 30 seconds from malaria, but now the loss of life is every 120 seconds. This is a true testament that anyone, at any age, can make a difference in the world.

Katherine’s work has been featured on the front page of The New York Times, CNN, Taiwan News, United Methodist Television, and in Chelsea Clinton’s book, It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired, Get Going!. Katherine and her parents were guests of President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at the White House for the first ever World Malaria Day where she received the Dragonfly Award. Additionally, President Bill Clinton recognized her efforts as a Nothing But Nets spokesperson at the Clinton Global Initiative. Katherine and her mother Lynda have spoken to school audiences, church congregations, and civic groups. They were keynote speakers at the United Methodist General Conference in Texas and at Hero Talks in Taiwan to audiences of over 3,000 people. While in Taiwan, Katherine received the Global Charity Ambassador Award from Vice President Chen Chien-jen and met separately with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Palace. Her story has been viewed nearly two million times in a Tedx Taipei Talk by publisher K. T. Hao.

Katherine lives in Pennsylvania with her mom, dad, and younger brother. She is currently a rising senior at Germantown Academy. Katherine enjoys running, warm weather, and loves going to the beach. She is excited to attend college where she hopes to study biology.