Julia has more than 20 years’ experience in communications and journalism in Canada, the U.S. and the UK, including most recently as the Communications Director with the Chamber of Marine Commerce.

During her 12-years at the Chamber of Marine Commerce, she has built, in collaboration with industry partners, a binational awareness program from scratch that has significantly elevated the profile of Great Lakes-St. Lawrence shipping and its priorities amongst its public, government, and political stakeholders. Her work has taken her aboard ships, to ports and locks, to gain first-hand knowledge of marine working environments and workforce-related challenges and opportunities.

For the past two years, Julia has acted as an advisor to the CMCF working closely with the team, and providing strategic direction and support for the CMCF’s communication activities.

Prior to her role at CMC, Julia developed national publicity strategies for the UK’s highest-rated current affairs programme and held various journalist roles at national newspapers in Scotland, covering high-profile business stories across the country, in Europe and Asia.