Julie grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and received a bachelor’s degree in organizational behavior and management from the University of Michigan. In 1997, she moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Maryland, where she joined St. Raphael Parish and her oldest child started in the 4's program at St. Raphael Nursery School. She was on the board of St. Raphael Nursery School from 1998 to 2000 and started working at the nursery school in 2000. Over the years, her role has expanded to include working in the classroom, SRNS licensing, and SRS/SRNS admissions. Julie wanted to expand her role in the classroom and participated in the ADW teacher cohort to receive her Maryland certification. She and her husband, Scott, have three children, Tom, Joey, and Annie, all of whom are alumni of St. Raphael Nursery School.