Our treasured friend and colleague Julie Padula passed away unexpectedly in her sleep on August 23, 2017. Julie was our Senior Manager of Operations and had been with Pro-Change since 1999. She took a brief hiatus to share her talents with University of Connecticut Office of Research Compliance as they developed conflict of interest and export control policies. While she enjoyed her time at UCONN, we were very fortunate to have her re-join our team in February of 2016. To say that she had unparalleled organizational skills, an unwavering commitment to excellence, and a true dedication to learning only begins to scratch the surface of Julie’s professional strengths. She was always the first person you thought of when a new initiative arose because of her willingness to accept daunting challenges to advance our organization. She was an exceptional team player who made us all more accountable.
For all of these reasons, and many more too numerous to mention, Julie’s memory will live on at Pro-Change. Our lives were enriched by having known and worked with her. We will honor her legacy by, as her father said at her memorial service, living with love, joy, and generosity. We invite you to join us in thinking fondly of Julie each time you see a sunflower.
May she rest in peace.