Last year, we celebrated how your support links us together. Like a friendship bracelet, each gift forming a chain of impact. This year, we’re going a step deeper: highlighting the people, the threads, who make those connections possible.

Meet Julia, Senior Manager, Program and Fund Administration. Through her work, she helps bring clarity, structure, and direction — ensuring ideas don’t just exist, but take shape and create real impact.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself!
Julia: I was born and raised on the north side of Chicago which meant staying outside all day, only knowing the time when the church bells chimed, and heading home when the streetlights turned on. Fun fact: I learned to navigate the CTA from my sister, who had every bus and train route memorized. We went everywhere — Lincoln Park Zoo and Foster Beach were our favorites.

Q: What’s a hobby or interest that energizes you outside of work?
Julia: I’m an avid gardener, and I actually love cutting the grass with a push mower which is great exercise and the perfect time to just think about nothing.

Q: If the Foundation were a bracelet, what kind of thread would you be?
Julia: I’d be the stiff thread — helping the bracelet maintain its intended shape, doing my best to keep it from sagging or losing its structure.

Q: What’s one moment at the Foundation that made you feel proud?
Julia: The Foundation was able to pivot and reposition the John H. Rippey Grant for Laboratory Quality Assurance, providing funding for the investigation of the impact of COVID-19-related tests, including studies related to test accuracy, timeliness, and result communication. A total of 11 projects received funding from 2020 to 2022.

Q: What’s your unofficial “superpower” at the Foundation?
Julia: Taking a complicated topic and breaking it down into simple, understandable language.

Q: How do you see the Foundation connecting people?
Julia: The CAP Foundation is very entrepreneurial in nature, providing an agile environment to quickly adapt to new challenges and opportunities. The focus of my work is developing tomorrow’s pathology leaders through awards for advanced training, research, and education, along with mobilizing pathologists to expand health equity in medically underserved communities within the US and globally. Following the path of award recipients is always inspiring, watching them step into leadership roles and become strong advocates for both sides of the organization, the CAP and the CAP Foundation.

Q: What does “connection” mean to you in context of the Foundations work?
Julia: The chance to impact lives is profound. I have been fortunate to support both sides of the organization, the CAP, in the areas of proficiency testing, quality indicators, and program management; and for the CAP Foundation, my journey began with shaping the See, Test & Treat program, expanding its reach, engaging new partners, to bring free cancer screenings to underserved women across the US along with expanding the offering of grants supporting pathology residents in the areas of leadership, education, and research, both within the US and globally.

Q: How do your day-to-day contributions tie into the bigger picture?
Julia: Every interaction I have – brainstorming a new grant or award opportunity, supporting a cross divisional program, contributing to a project, helping solve a problem, or just lending supportive words—contributes to real-world outcomes: better diagnostics and healthcare for all.

Q: How do you hope the Foundation’s connections grow this year?
Julia: I’m always finding connections — honestly, I’m a bit of a social media “troller” in that way. Whether it’s people, places, or ideas, opportunities are everywhere if you’re looking for them and willing to engage.

Q: If the Foundation had a theme song, what would it be?
Julia: “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen — it pushes you to be more than you are.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
Julia: Through grant and award opportunities, the CAP Foundation is providing the platform and resources for connection…whether it is a donation of time or money, this support helps to pay it forward, supporting the specialty with the end result of better patient care.

 Now Playing: Connected: The Foundation Playlist
As part of this campaign, we’re building a CAP Foundation playlist featuring songs chosen by our staff, board, awardees and donors. As the campaign unfolds, so will the playlist, with new songs added along the way. Listen along and hear the soundtrack behind the threads that hold us together.