A little bit about me…

Philosophy

My work with families and educators is rooted in both personal and professional experience.

In my experience, it is powerful to work with “lived-experience” practitioners. I don’t know what it is like to walk your specific journey, but I may have walked a similar journey.

My work with students is rooted in a social justice approach to education and guided by the belief that every learner deserves instruction that is:

Effective – grounded in evidence-based learning that actually works
Meaningful – helping students understand the “why” behind their learning
Personally Relevant —honors each student’s interests, personality, and identity markers
Student-Driven – empowering students to take ownership of their learning journey
Collaborative – involving the student, family, school teams, and other trusted supports
Play-Based & Joyful – because we learn best when we feel safe, seen, and engaged

I intentionally weave in neurodivergent-affirming education, self-advocacy, and executive function skills into every session with every student.

Education / Training

M.S, Education, Special Education
Colorado State Licensed Educator, K-6th Elementary Education, K-12 Special Education
Certified Orton-Gillingham Therapist with Advanced Training
Member of the International Dyslexia Association
Over 200 hours of dedicated learning focused on equity in education
Extensive training in universal design in education (UDL), dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, autism, sensory processing, and executive function skills/strategies

Experience

Over 25 years of experience as an educator, learning specialist, and school administrator in preK-post secondary settings
Over 10 years of experience as a reading specialist, celebrating & supporting students who learn through dyslexia
Neurodivergent-Affirming / Lived-Experience Practitioner
Parent of two amazing kiddos, one of whom is 2E/Neurodivergent

Beyond Work

I am learning to live within the limitations of a life-altering chronic health condition, while also not being limited by my limitations.

I love slowing down to the pace of the natural world, riding my amazing adaptive ebike, nature-journaling, and soaking in all of the sensory experiences of being outside.
I love spending time with family and friends… talking, listening, playing board games, watching a good show, or going for a walk.
I love being creative, cooking, and hanging out with our dog (who will enthusiastically chase his ball from sunup to sundown).
I nourish myself with a steady diet of stories through books, audio/podcasts, and films.
While I am not able to travel as much anymore, I love learning about new places, cultures, and perspectives of other people.
I am a lifelong learner who intentionally cultivates curiosity across a wide variety of expected and unexpected topics. Give me an engaging teacher who is knowledgeable and excited about their area of expertise, and I am all in!
I am passionate about social justice, and I seek out ways to serve my community.

Here are some of the kind words others have shared about my work…

"As a highly effective teacher, Julie strives to engage children in meaningful, authentic ways, always taking into consideration their developmental needs, interests, strengths, and prior experiences. She aims for the construction rather than the consumption of learning. I have rarely seen a teacher who so conscientiously differentiates her content and strategies to maximize student progress, motivation, and learning. Likewise, Julie includes parents in every step of their child’s learning journey, seeking their insights, respecting families’ values, and supporting them however possible. Julie's expertise paired with compassion and genuine care of her students makes her not only effective in facilitating academic growth, but life-changing in how students come to understand their strengths, uniqueness, and importance."

Erin ~ Learning Specialist
"Julie has truly been a gift to our family. She has taken the time to understand our daughter’s unique learning style and tailors each session to her needs. Julie’s creative math games make home practice enjoyable for the whole family and have boosted our daughter’s math confidence and joy. Her detailed notes and open communication keep us informed and help us better support our daughter’s progress. We’re so grateful for Julie’s dedication and only wish we could have more time with her!"

Jamie ~ Parent
“Julie is an educator who leads with curiosity and a strong commitment to helping all students grow academically, socially, and personally. She takes the time to listen without judgment, allowing her to respond thoughtfully to each student’s needs. Julie is kind, caring, and approachable, with a friendly demeanor that fosters positive relationships. She consistently goes the extra mile to ensure students have the resources and support they need to succeed. She is skilled at identifying effective resources for both students and families, and she excels not only in academics but also in guiding students to process experiences and become their best selves."

Kira ~ 4th Grade Teacher
"Julie is a joy to work with. Her capacity to understand each individual learner and reflect their needs in her approach is masterful. Julie's vast experience shows up in her ability to truly understand what each earner needs from wherever they live on the neurodivergent spectrum. As an educator myself, I have experienced firsthand Julie's mentorship in helping me build integrated units that not only combine my interests as an educator but weave in a cross-curricular approach while meeting the standards seamlessly."

Andrea ~ 1st Grade Teacher
“Over the past 2 years, Julie has been instrumental in supporting us with learning about how our daughter with dyslexia learns and engages with the world. Our daughter's view of herself as a confident and capable learner has grown tremendously since starting her work with Julie. Julie approaches her work with creativity and curiosity which helps her determine how a specific kiddo learns and how to individualize materials, curriculum, and activities to accommodate a child's unique learning profile. She utilizes a strengths-based approach and provides a calm, caring, and fun environment in which to learn. Our daughter enjoys spending time with Julie. As parents, we are also grateful for the knowledge, coaching, and resources she has provided to us. Her insight and wisdom have helped us to better understand our child and have given us the tools to support her learning outside of school.”

Dean & Lisa ~ Family of a Student
"I have collaborated with Julie on several of my neuropsychological evaluations and every time I have been so impressed with her knowledge of not only an student’s academic strengths and weaknesses but also the deeper personality characteristics of that child. Julie knows her students at a much more sophisticated and comprehensive level which speaks to her years of experience but also her true dedication in helping every child in all aspects of their learning and personal journey."

David ~ Pediatric Neuropsychologist
"Julie is the absolute best and words can’t express how grateful we are for her heart centered, socially just and conscious and deeply personal and emotionally intelligent approach to working with our kids. My child does tutoring with Julie for math and this is literally the only reason our kid has a love for math. They can “touch math” and be silly and most importantly, be themselves with Julie. Julie works with Nya at their own speed, with genuine curiosity, care, openness and deep respect for how Nya learns. Julie truly practice what she preaches: she believes each child can reach their full and unique potential when given the time, care, resources and support to meet their unique needs and meet them where they are. Nya is excited for Thursdays so they can do math play time with Julie! You couldn’t have a better tutor, better champion, better supporter than Julie for your child. I cannot recommend her highly enough. She also works with us and our budget as a low income family. We are forever grateful."

Britt and Saxon ~ Family of a Student
"Julie worked with our son, Robin, during a formative period of his school career, and her impact on his ability to thrive academically has been profound and lasting. Her neurodivergent-affirming approach helped us develop a comprehensive learning plan that honored Robin's strengths while addressing his challenges with practical, thoughtful strategies. She taught Robin how to break down complex problems into manageable parts—a skill that has proven essential across every aspect of his schoolwork. She treated Robin as a whole person, involved him at every step of the plan, and honored his way of moving through the world. Julie helped Robin develop the skills to advocate for himself. She gave him the language and confidence to articulate his needs and speak up when something isn't working. Watching him grow into that self-awareness and agency at school has been one of the most gratifying parts of parenting. Julie was always reassuring and constructive, even when the path forward wasn't clear. She brought both deep expertise and genuine compassion to every interaction, and the foundation she helped us build continues to serve our family well."

Chad ~ Parent of a Student
"Working with Julie has been such a gift for our family. She has a rare ability to truly understand kids… not just how they think and learn, but who they are as people. With our son, she has been endlessly patient, supportive, and encouraging while also helping him build real-world strategies he can actually use. Julie doesn’t force a system onto a student… she meets them where they are and helps them grow from there. She has helped our son feel more confident, more capable, and less overwhelmed, and that means the world to us as parents. We are incredibly grateful for the heart, skill, and care she pours into her work."

Brian ~ Parent of a Student