Since 2014 until her passing in February from complications from ALS, Julia demonstrated a visionary and sensitive approach to her work as Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications at KAM. A tireless advocate for artists, the museum, and our many audiences, she rigorously focused on inclusion, visitor service, accessibility, and creative storytelling in all aspects of her practice. Julia was KAM’s narrator-in-chief and passionately linked campus and community.
As a team of one, Julia shouldered a huge responsibility. She forged our identity as a unit committed to research, teaching, and public engagement at the highest level with values of care of mind and body, accessibility to all, and equity and inclusion. Among her lasting contributions are our website, pioneering KAM’s social media, design standards that foreground accessibility, and the museum’s first revision of wayfinding since the 1980s.
For years, Julia was the museum’s leading voice for student engagement. She established our free student membership program and mentored many student workers. As an attentive supervisor, she collaborated with her students to deploy and deepen their skills.
Julia’s kindness, wisdom, and generosity were unparalleled. We remember her as a dear friend, a trusted colleague, an enthusiastic collaborator, and a devoted mentor whose impact at Krannert Art Museum and the broader community will be felt for years to come.
