Originally a New Yorker, Julia moved to the Boston area for college, where she studied Anthropology, Education, and French language. Julia has always had a passion for working with and supporting the learning of young children, but it was after a formative experience working at a literacy-based summer camp in Harlem, New York that she decided to commit herself to becoming a classroom teacher. She went on to teach elementary school in Chicago Public Schools, where she prioritized making the curricula she was given work better for the children in her classes. Seeking to deepen her understanding of education-related issues, she relocated to pursue her Master’s in Educational Studies at the University of Michigan, where she further studied what it means to create an engaging learning environment in which all learners feel included.

Julia enjoys her role as Program Manager of the Great First Eight K-2 Curriculum in which she gets to help shape the development of a curriculum that seeks to provide a high-quality and empowering educational experience for children from historically underrepresented groups. Outside of work, you can often find Julia going for a long walk in her neighborhood while catching up with long-distance friends and family over the phone or taking a class to learn a new skill!