Biography

Julia started as an intern at the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice in 2022 before being hired full-time in 2023. Julia’s interest in helping to create systems change in the criminal justice arena was born through a volunteer position as a prison literacy tutor while getting her undergraduate degree in Kingston, Ontario, in 2002. Since then, Julia has deepened her understanding of the intersection of trauma, behavioral health, and the criminal justice system. Julia’s work with the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated has taken several different forms over the years. She intends to use the experience, insight, and perspective she gained to inform future efforts at making meaningful change in a broken and overloaded system. Before becoming a project coordinator at the CBHJ, Julia worked as a research assistant at the Center for Social Work Research. Julia is passionate about innovation and finding creative ways to solve social problems. 

Responsibilities

Julia serves as the innovation and project lead for the Assisted Outpatient Treatment and Courts initiative. She serves as the primary liaison within counties, navigating relationships between systems and county partners - including community mental health, county jail, probation/parole, courts, peer supports, and first responders - and implements evaluation design including data collection, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. As a senior analyst/coordinator, Julia provides mentorship to other coordinators and participates in the development of reports and proposals.

Degrees and Certifications

• M.S.W., Wayne State University (concentration in Innovation, Policy, Community, and Leadership)
• M.A., Social Innovation – Kroc School of Peace and Justice at University of San Diego
• B.A.,  Philosophy – Queen’s University (Canada)

 

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