Julie grew up in the rolling hills of Wisconsin and still proudly calls herself a “cheesehead,” even though she’s lived in Colorado for more than half her life. Julie earned her B.A. in cross-cultural communication from Carroll College (now Carroll University) in 1996 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, minoring in psychology. During her junior year she studied at Nottingham University in England, where she joined the Rambling and Hiking Society and wandered all around the beautiful UK countryside while discovering some great pubs along the way. She also backpacked her way around much of Europe during her year abroad, enjoying crazy adventures amid new landscapes and cultures. Since then, she's nurtured her love of travel and the outdoors with trips to New Zealand, Fiji, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, the Canary Islands, Canada, Mexico and Belize, plus many natural treasures in the U.S. Julie and her husband Brian were married on the beach in Tulum, Mexico, in 2009. During their honeymoon in Belize, they had the exhilarating experience of swimming among a slew of gentle nurse sharks. Julie's travels have slowed down more recently while raising twin girls, though she and her husband look forward to discovering more of our amazing planet with their daughters as they grow up.

Julie joined Nat Hab’s Guest Communications department in 2018 as an Adventure Prep Coordinator. Her first company adventure took her to the remote Arctic where she experienced raw beauty and solitude from Base Camp Greenland. She is grateful to work for a nature travel company with so many incredible individuals and opportunities to explore this beautiful world.