Austin is from Florida originally and attended Johns Hopkins for college where she majored in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience.  She completed a combined MD/MPH program at the University of Miami School of Medicine. She has focused her work as a medical and MPH student on advocacy and public policy aimed at caring for people who use drugs. Her work includes assessment of medication prescribing trends, assessment of new opioid legislation, and analysis of hospital-based care for people who use drugs.  She was the co-founder of the “Harm Reduction Student Group” which built a campaign for a statewide syringe exchange expansion legislation.  She also helped establish a naloxone “Leave Behind Program” in which paramedics provide naloxone and addiction treatment information.  She continues to serve as a vocalist for multiple churches and other events. She also enjoys distance running, road biking, schema design, and is an amateur coffee sommelier.