Julia believes people are the most important force in propelling long-term organizational success. As the director of people, culture and talent at McKinley Advisors, her role focuses on co-creating conditions for successful professionals and thriving organizations.
Julia is a trusted partner to nonprofit and association leaders. Together, she and her clients take change-management journeys to transform culture and workplaces, aligning business goals with talent initiatives that nurture high-performing teams and future-ready leaders. She operationalizes best practices that strengthen workplace satisfaction and fosters cultures of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Grounded in people-centric practices, Julia is a seasoned leader in designing and implementing strategic and inclusive talent management efforts. She has led transformative projects for organizations such as the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the Independent Community Bankers of America and CoreNet Global, driving meaningful outcomes and lasting organizational growth.
She brings 25+ years of experience, including work with a variety of association clients with missions that support medical and scientific research, healthcare access and equity, K-12 education, environmental conservation and government associations. Previously, she worked as an HR practitioner and leader for an HR-focused consulting firm, as well as other positions leading social service, community development, and philanthropic programs.
She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship at Tulane University to analyze benefits and retirement plans for nonprofit organizations and charter schools. She holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Julia lives in Austin, Texas, where she enjoys hiking in the hill country, live music, and Tex-Mex with her family. When not in Austin, she and her family travel as often as they can to explore new cultures, food and landscapes.
