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Julie is the Senior Manager for the Department of School Innovation and Improvement for the Montana Office of Public Instruction.  Julie leads the innovative and improvement efforts for 7 units: Federal Programs, School Improvement, American Indian Student Achievement, Indian Education for All, Tribal Relations and Resilience, Licensure, and Accreditation.  A key responsibility for Julie is to implement all components of the Montana’s Consolidated State ESSA Plan by advancing a comprehensive system of individual school accountability and continuous improvement, striving towards long-term student growth and promoting local control and flexibility while meeting the provisions under the ESSA federal regulation.  Most recently, Julie has guided the development of the Montana American Rescue Plan.  Julie also collaborates with multiple programs within the agency, and other agencies, to coordinate between various grants and initiatives to streamline services.  She uses a data-driven approach to guide her work and has a passion for equity, innovation, and cultivating leadership and empowerment in others.

Since graduating from Carroll College in 1993 with a Bachelor’s Degree in education, Julie has dedicated her professional life to educating children for over 25 years.  She earned her Maters of Arts degree in Education with an emphasis on Curriculum and Instruction in 1999 from Regis University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from the University of Denver in 2011.  Julie’s breadth of experience as an elementary, middle and high school principal, district curriculum specialist, and elementary and secondary mathematics teacher allow her to approach her work with knowledge and expertise that spans the K-12th spectrum.  As a teacher, Julie earned the State of Colorado 2002 Secondary Mathematics Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching from the National Science Foundation.  In June 2018, Julie retired from Denver Public Schools and moved to Helena with her family, husband Ryan, and daughters Emily and Jordan.  She was born and raised in Anaconda, Montana and is the youngest of five children.   It was a dream come true for the family to be back where their family roots run deep and simply home.