Julie is a Senior Lab Technician and Associate Faculty for Biological Sciences and Marine Science Technology for Saddleback College for over 27  years. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences with emphasis in Marine Sciences from San Diego State University and is a certified SCUBA diver, scientific diver, small boat operator and collects, maintains and propagates a variety of  marine organisms in approximately 3,200 gallons of temperate and tropical marine aquarium systems. 
In addition to her fulltime job as technician, where she preps, maintains and manages instructional supplies, instruments and equipment used in the biological sciences, she also teaches part time for Biology and Aquarium Science. She also oversees the new Aquarium and Aquaculture Science program and supporting aquarium lab facility. As a long-time enthusiast for the oceans, marine ecology and the global conservation efforts of threatened marine ecosystems, she was instrumental in the development of a new Certificate/Degree program, Aquarium & Aquaculture Science, which was officially accredited by the State Chancellor's Office, October 2003, and is the first and only in the State of California.  Over $72,000 of supplies, equipment and funding have been received over the past 10 years from the grassroots, pilot course  in 1998 to present day.  Several major Industry, Research Facilities and Public Aquariums, Interpretive Centers and Organizations have partnered with Saddleback Colleges' new Aquarium & Aquaculture Science Program and provide supplies, equipment, advisory  in curriculum and program review, and sponsor "real" worksite experience through various workshops and back scenes tours.