Julie Sligh Nolte, Ph.D.
Julie Sligh Nolte, Ph.D., is a luxury travel advisor with Global Travel Collection, where she specializes in crafting personalized, detail-oriented travel experiences for clients. Working primarily from her home in the Atlanta area, Julie leverages her company’s Midtown office and a network of preferred vendors to design itineraries that align with each traveler’s vision, focusing on meticulous logistics, attentive listening, and seamless coordination. Her work emphasizes collaboration and trusted vendor relationships to ensure transformative and stress-free journeys for those she serves. Before entering the travel industry, Julie enjoyed a distinguished 25-year career in the pharmaceutical field. She earned a Ph.D. in Pathology and Clinical Immunology from Saint Louis University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship there before moving into clinical and medical affairs. During her pharmaceutical career, she held senior roles, including Medical Director and Field Medical Director positions, contributing to oncology and hematology clinical trials, several of which resulted in FDA approvals. Julie’s professional philosophy blends her scientific rigor with creativity and attention to detail, whether designing experiments or crafting unforgettable travel experiences. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Georgia and remains actively engaged with professional networks in both travel and science. Outside of work, Julie enjoys exploring global destinations, river cruising, and sharing her passion for travel with clients, helping them experience the world with ease, luxury, and inspiration.
• Strategic Thinking
• The University of Georgia- B.S.
• Saint Louis University School of Medicine- Ph.D.
• Virtuoso
• Global Travel Collections
• Church
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being a careful listener and asking the right questions to fully understand my clients’ vision, then using a scientist’s attention to detail to plan and execute trips that exceed their expectations.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to stay true to myself: always remember my values, be straightforward, and never say anything I can’t back up.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering this industry to ensure they truly want to be in travel advising, build solid travel experience, develop strong communication skills, and think ahead about practical logistics to provide clients with seamless, memorable experiences.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in my field are staying within clients’ budgets, keeping destination information up to date, and balancing unforgettable experiences with cost constraints. At the same time, there’s an opportunity to leverage strong vendor and team networks to create personalized trips, even to destinations I haven’t personally visited.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in work and life are maintaining a healthy work-life balance, staying true to myself, being honest and straightforward, and spending quality time traveling and enjoying life with my husband and family.