“Work hard, play hard” is Julie’s motto. While she loves the great outdoors, especially the beach, she can be spotted most often at AbilityFirst, where she says, “every day is a new adventure.” She signed on in 2006 as assistant director at the Lawrence L. Frank Center, and in 2009 transitioned to a new position that she still absolutely loves today, Director of the Claremont Center. She has a bachelor’s in Child Development with certification in a variety of autism-focused programs that she uses daily at the center to guide participants who have behavioral or communication challenges. Julie has dedicated more than 28 years to the field, through various training techniques and in working with early intervention and inclusion programs. She also enjoys the distinguished honor of being a chosen member of the first team to do, Conductive Education in the state of California, a Hungarian system designed to integrate cognitive, physical, and emotional teaching, specifically for children with movement disorders. Julie is a longstanding member of the Kiwanis Club of Claremont, and has participated in many committees, including serving on the board and chairing events. Even with all of her commitments, Julie still finds time to be a huge sports fan – Go Dodgers! Julie finds great satisfaction in helping families advocate for themselves. She finds it an honor to see participants grow, and to be an integral part of the process.