Courtesy of Julie Jakopic
Alexandria resident Julie Jakopic has been helping leaders succeed since, as she puts it, she tutored her friends in math in third grade.
Today, she is a top organizational and leadership development consultant and coach. Author of Planning for Results, a nationally recognized strategic planning tool, and creator of the Don’t Await It, Create It framework and event, Julie gets rave reviews as a speaker, coach, facilitator and strategist known for her pragmatic and optimistic approach.
Before launching iLead Strategies, Julie built and led successful teams in her work as vice president and human services practice leader at the Development Services Group and in executive positions at ICF International, The Finance Project and the National Association for State Community Services Programs.
She is also chair of Virginia’s List, a political action committee that raises money for female Democratic candidates for Virginia’s General Assembly. Julie was awarded the Ann Kagie National Community Services Award by the National Association for State Community Services Programs and the Legislative & Public Policy Award by the Alexandria Commission for Women. She holds an MA in Sociology and a BA in Communications from the University of Maryland.
What do you like most about living in Alexandria?
Alexandria is a real place where cultivating community is a consistent, personal value to its residents. We know each other and genuinely care about one another.
What do you value most in your friends?
Humor, brilliance and trust.
It’s a friend’s first time in Alexandria, where do you take them?
The Torpedo Factory, Columbia Firehouse and Captain Gregory’s.
What’s your favorite getaway spot?
Carlsbad, California and Lewes, Delaware.
What is your greatest fear?
Heights.
What do Alexandria people do best?
Contribute.
Every morning I read...
Axios AM - Mike Allen’s Top 10.
What is your motto?
“Don’t Await It, Create It.”
What’s a passion or hobby that you would want to turn into a career?
I changed my career when I left a corner office and founded iLead Strategies nearly 10 years ago. I was a senior executive who longed for direct impact, missed speaking and training and knew that there were better ways to lead than command and control. Now I work with leaders and their teams to ignite change, accelerate success and create workplaces where people want to work.
In 2018 my goals are to...
Raise $100,000 for Virginia’s List where I serve as chair, launch iLead Strategies Tackling Turbulence initiative and spend more time at the beach.
