Julia’s work is guided by a deep curiosity about how we learn, grow, and transform our communities together. As Affiliate Faculty (Department of Religion) at Montclair State University, she strives to create learning environments that engage the “head, heart, and hands” of every student—bridging intellectual inquiry, reflection, and community engagement to help students become protagonists in their own learning.

Julia’s path has been shaped by her work at the Baha’i International Community’s United Nations Office, where she served as principal researcher; this experience inspired her book, Rethinking Religion and Politics in a Plural World (2021), which explores the Baha’i community’s unifying, non-partisan approach to addressing global challenges. She has served as Secretary of the Association for the Baha’i Studies and Co-Chair of the American Academy of Religion Baha’i Studies Unit. 

Beyond the classroom, Julia serves as a Trustee for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, a Board Member of the non-profit arm of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, and is a co-founder of the Race Amity Initiative in her town. She holds a PhD in Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Kent (UK), an M. Ed. from the University of Toronto, and a diploma in piano pedagogy.