My name is Julia, and I use she/her pronouns.  I am a second generation settler of Estonian, Scottish, and Acadian descent.  I am grateful to live and practice social work on the lands of the Anishnabek Nation and on the traditional territory of the Fort William First Nation.  I acknowledge my responsibilities as someone who benefits from the Robinson-Superior Treaty.

Growing up as a settler and working as a social worker in Thunder Bay, I understand that this area and this land are important and vibrant, and often overlooked, disregarded, and neglected. To engage in meaningful work in this community I completed an Honours Bachelor Degree in Social Work (HBSW) and a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) at Lakehead University.

Over the last 14 years, I have had the pleasure and the privilege of walking alongside people who are healing, making change, speaking out, and finding wholeness, despite experiences of hardship, pain, or trauma.  I strive to address injustice and oppression, to speak up for what’s right, and to amplify the voices of others who are doing the same, whether that is in their own life, within the community, or across systems.

I am proudly the recipient of the Mayor’s Award for Community Safety for my work with 2SLGBTQ+ Youth.

I am a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW).