Teresa of Ávila possibly due to her mystical visions. The Spanish nuns who established Carmel in France brought this devotion with them, and it became widespread in France. Indeed, one of Teresa's most famous disciples, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a French Carmelite, herself named for Teresa, took as her religious name Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. In the 1620s, Spain debated who should be the country's patron saint; the choices were either the current patron, Saint James Matamoros, or a pairing of him and the newly canonised Saint Teresa of Ávila. Teresa's promoters said Spain faced newer challenges,
Michelle Patron professor at New York University's Center for Global Affairs. Patron is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has written for "Foreign Affairs", "Financial Times", and the "Los Angeles Times". Patron is the daughter of Judi Billig and Bob Billig of North Miami Beach, Florida. She was married on November 15, 2008, to David I. Patron, at the time an executive with American Express. Michelle Patron Michelle Naomi (Billig) Patron (born 1974) is an energy policy expert who currently serves in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for energy and climate change