Julie has lived in Aspen, Colorado over 17 years. She grew up in S.C.
and received her bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in
public health. She was a real estate broker before moving to Aspen.
She loves her life in the Rocky Mountains. She is a ski instructor
for the Aspen Skiing company and has worked for 15 years with the historic
Wheeler Opera House. For the last 6 years, she has been a house manager for
the Aspen Music Festival, and also works at the Great Divide, the only
guitar store in town. She plays bluegrass once a week with a group of
friends, nameless at this point, who have recently been performing at small
functions in town as well as playing music with The Roaring Fork Celtic Mega
Band whose next gig is at the Carbondale Mountain Fair. She also sings with
the Aspen Choral Society and the Aspen Chapel.
Julie has been looking for a cause to donate her time and energy to.
She had researched and contributed to the Himalayan Cataract project and
Mari’s children. Her good friend Peter Braun had mentioned the Love,Hope,
Strength foundation and that he was going to participate. Within that week
she received a Fed Ex letter from her college roomate, who shared that she
was dying of cancer. Julie felt a calling to make this journey and to
dedicate the hike to her old friend ,Susan Powell Cecka.
The philanthropic and atheletic aspects of the trip make it a perfect
package for her. She has enjoyed surfing in Costa Rica, diving in the
Caribbean, and paragliding off of Aspen Mountain. To date, she has known no
greater thrill than 1st tracks in the Highlands Bowl on a powder day. She
has competed in 41 triathlons, including 4 national championships and 6
marathons. All that said, she thinks this may be the most exciting adventure
of all, and can’t wait for the t shirt!