One of Julia’s early childhood memories is helping her mother babysit for some toddlers whose abusive father was being released from prison and helping the frantic mother create an emergency plan in case he returned. Throughout her teen years she worked as a nanny and babysitter for multiple foster families and children of prisoners, which grew her heart for at risk children and teens. She came to Hope of the Ozarks, then known as Camp David, as a counselor in 2011 and became one of the first year round interns that fall, helping create what is now known as the Impact Internship.

Julia oversees camper care, programming, day camp, and marketing for Hope of the Ozarks. She is a certified wedding and event planner, former foster mom, and has run women’s support groups, and Bible study groups.

Julia met her husband Josh while they worked at Camp David in 2011. They now homeschool their 3 children and are thankful for the opportunity to raise them in the camp culture of compassion and service to others.

One of Julia’s favorite parts of camp is getting to know the campers and speaking God’s love and healing into their lives to remind them that they have a purpose and identity in Christ.