Her Story
About Julie
Julie Seifert graduated from the Naval Academy and served six and a half years as a submarine officer in the Navy, becoming one of only 12 women selected for the program in 2016 and earning her qualification on February 29, 2020. After leaving the military, she pursued a Master's of Science in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University and spent three years in the medical device field, including six months at Mayo Clinic and two and a half years as a project manager at Inovus. Seifert has now transitioned into the nonprofit space, serving as a board member and project manager for Hero Kids Foundation where she coordinates projects supporting outdoor and animal therapy for first responders, military members, veterans, and their families. She is also volunteering at a local free clinic and hospital while taking prerequisite classes at William and Mary as a non-degree-seeking student to prepare for medical school or physician assistant programs. Seifert attributes her success to first learning each new space by building networks, identifying needs, and offering solutions rather than waiting to be directed.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Julie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I learned the space first by meeting people, building the network, understanding what others need, finding the gaps, and then offering solutions instead of barging in or waiting to be told what to do. I did this in submarines, medical, and now nonprofit.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Do not settle. There are a thousand different paths to success, not just one. Do not get comfortable and stay on a path that is not working for you personally or professionally just because you decided it was the only path.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You do not have to know that your answer is 100% right to offer the idea or apply for the job. Things will not necessarily be handed to you, and you do not have to wait for somebody to tell you that you are right or that it is your turn.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Opportunities include younger generations bringing energy and passion to nonprofits, which are open to new ideas from military and medical backgrounds, allowing big impact. Challenges include shifting industries multiple times, always feeling like a student, finding the right place to start in an unconventional path, but family support helps overcome this.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Open communication and respect on all levels. Everyone's voice is equally important regardless of title, which applies to work, home, and with my kids.
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