julie barton, ph.d.

Julie is passionate about the power of story to enact positive social change and believes that quality children’s literature can change the world. Her 12-year career in nonprofit management includes positions at the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and the Harry Potter Alliance, a national youth engagement organization. Most recently she was at Tandem, Partners in Early Learning for almost six years, leading the organization through a time of expansion, a rebranding process, and as Development Director doubled the budget.

With a PhD in Literature and a MA in Children’s Literature, she has publications in The Journal of Children’s Literature Studies and Crossing Textual Boundaries in International Children’s Literature, and has presented at a number of international conferences. In London she served for four years on the UK chapter of the International Board on Books for Young People and is currently a committee member for USBBY, the US chapter.

A 2016 Leadership San Francisco Fellow with the Chamber of Commerce and 2019 Social Entrepreneurship Fellow with StartingBloc, she is a lifelong learner. She is involved with New Leaders Council, the nation’s largest and oldest progressive training organization – after being a 2015 NLC-SF Fellow, she has served on the NLC-SF Executive Board for four years, is co-Chair of the National NLC Advancement Committee, is on the NLC National Programs Committee, and serves as a LEAD Trainer for NLC Institutes across the country. However, Julie is determined to never be too old (or too busy!) to read books written for children.