Julia
Family, faith, and life experiences have shaped who I am and carried me through some of life’s toughest times.
I was raised in a military family of six, just above the poverty line. We moved frequently and each move taught me something new about resilience, adaptability, and finding strength in unfamiliar places. I also learned that the most valuable things in life aren’t material—they’re the people who stand beside you, the beliefs that guide you, and the character you choose when no one’s watching.
At eighteen, my life changed forever when I survived a near-fatal head-on collision caused by a drunk driver.
A few years later, I was a divorced single mom at rock bottom—no job, no education beyond high school, and no clear path forward.
But the foundation built earlier in my life kept me from staying at rock bottom. I leaned on what I had, taking one step at a time and making a way through.
I worked full-time, raised two daughters, earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA, to eventually become the CEO of a multibillion-dollar organization. Not because the path was easy—but because I learned how to shift the power I was already fueling toward confidence, courage, and perseverance.
Today, I equip students and the people who serve them with tools to move forward stronger no matter what challenges they face.
My message meets people exactly where they are and helps them build the strength to move forward with confidence.
I believe the power you need is already inside you. Sometimes, you just need someone to show you how to use it!
I’m here to help you strengthen your confidence, courage, and resilience—because the power you need isn’t something you find, it’s something you direct.
Julia’s Story
Life’s hardest moments taught me lessons no classroom ever could.
I learned that resilience, confidence, and courage aren’t things you have to find. You’re born with them.
But over time, depending on how you use your sources of power—your perspective, your self-talk, and how you make sense of your life experiences—you can unintentionally strengthen the very things that hold you back.
Instead of strengthening your confidence, you strengthen your insecurity.
Instead of strengthening your courage, you strengthen your fear.
Instead of strengthening your resilience, you strengthen the impulse to give up.
These lessons shaped everything I am today. They’re why I believe the power you need isn’t something you find. It’s something you direct.
You’re always fueling something with your power.
The real question is: Are you using your power for yourself—or against yourself?
Today, through my speeches, TEDx Talks, and award-winning book, I share the tools and framework that helped me move forward stronger—so you can, too!
The preparation…
The delivery…
The gratitude…
In Julia’s TEDx Talk —“The Way We Think About Loss and Grief is Dead Wrong” —she refutes the ‘time heals all wounds’ myth and challenges the 5 stages of grief model with a practical, straightforward framework to process the smallest loss to the most profound grief and thrive in the aftermath of the unthinkable.
Defying conventional wisdom, Julia is proof that loss and grief are not a package deal.
Memorable Moments…
POWER Is Strengthened by Overcoming Challenges
Confidence, courage, and resilience aren't just about getting back up—they’re strengthened with each experience, shaped by how you rise and what you do next. Success doesn't happen despite setbacks; it’s achieved when you use what you've learned to face the next challenge.
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Change starts with an awareness of your auto-pilot assumptions. Tear down the myths about power and replace them with the truth—you're not lacking power, it's just turned in the wrong direction.
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Julia emphasizes the positive, but only as it relates to the very real and difficult challenges we face every day. No oversimplifying life’s challenges, just powerful tools to process them with strength and purpose, gleaning valuable life-long skills from them.
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Explore the truth from a proven expert on the subject about what causes some people to get stuck, frustrated, when facing challenges and change, and how others use them to their advantage, driving greater personal and professional success.
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Unwanted things happen daily—it's part of life. But with every challenge, you have a choice: let it defeat you, carry the burden, or get something valuable from the experience!
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Building a habit of resilient thinking and behavior is proven to be one of the greatest indicators of life and career success.
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When Julia speaks, people feel motivated and inspired, but she goes beyond those to offer real, research-based tools that lead to life-changing actions long after her speech is over.
Why Book Julia?
Most people aren’t lacking power.
They’re unknowingly using it in a way that’s working against them—fueling stress, self-doubt, and overwhelm instead of confidence, clarity, and resilience.
Julia’s keynote, "POWER Shift: Use What You Have to Get What You Want," challenges the mainstream thinking.
She shows audiences how to redirect the power they're already fueling—often in ways they don't even realize—so they can move forward stronger with greater confidence, courage, and clarity to face challenges, seize opportunities, and create the future they want.
Whether you're a student building your future or a professional guiding the next generation, Julia delivers practical strategies and tools that you can put into action immediately—starting right where you are.
In these candid interviews, Julia talks about her journey through trauma, tragedy, and loss. Instead, of letting them define her, she chose to use them to refine her. She shares how she used each one as a springboard to strengthen her determination, perseverance, and resilience to overcome any challenge and you can too.
As a podcast guest, Julia shares valuable insights and practical tools for overcoming challenges, building resilience, and thriving through adversity. Her ability to thrive beyond the setbacks, failures, and loss, will inspire you and leave you believing in the strength of the human spirit.
Julia’s thought-provoking articles challenge conventional wisdom and dispel myths about power. She shares valuable lessons she learned on her way to the C-suite of multi-billion dollar organizations.
In Julia’s TEDx talk, The Way We Think About Loss and Grief is Dead Wrong, and other videos, she shares how to thrive through even the most difficult life situations and use adversity to your advantage.
"Julia’s presentation style was a perfect mix of educational and dynamic. Her closing keynote gave our participants an unexpectedly fresh view of the topic. She did a great job at our event and would bring positive energy to any program. I highly recommend her as a speaker."
- Melanie Thomas, Communications Department, Texas Municipal Retirement System
Event Planners Trust Julia to Deliver
"Julia has been a speaker for us for over 15 years, consistently being rated as ‘excellent’ by our audiences. She displays phenomenal energy and is both dynamic and passionate about her subject. Attendees find her both articulate and engaging which is especially important because of the training and lessons she shares in her presentations."
- Cathy K. Zacher, CEBS Director, Educational Programs-U.S. International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
“Having seen Julia in action before, I had great confidence that she would be a success. Her pre-meeting work to understand what we wanted to accomplish was very helpful in creating an experience that felt unique for our group. She quickly got all of our members engaged and actively participating. Her high energy level and passion came through and the result was a very positive session. Julia exceeded our expectations and I highly recommend her to deliver an energetic and impactful session."
- Doug Anderson, Executive Director, Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association
