Julia developed both a deep relationship with the land and a talent for creative problem solving growing up on a fifth generation family farm in the Ozarks.  She brings experience partnering with utilities on the research and design of customer programs and digital tools to reduce peak demand and expand the use of clean energy.

Julia has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri and began her career as an industrial engineer in oil fields and gas processing plants.  She then moved from operations to research after earning an M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Colorado, working in atmospheric CO2 modeling with the Long Term Ecological Research Network and leading early studies of mountain pine beetle impact in Colorado.  Julia later moved into education teaching creative problem solving in the Engineering, Design and Society department at the Colorado School of Mines. 

Julia is a jazz/blues vocalist performing with various music groups and loves paddling lakes in her kayak.  She is pursuing certification as a Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and loves helping people discover the mental health benefits of connecting with the natural world.