She served six years on the board of the Morgan Hill Unified School District, including one year as President. Her community service positions have included work as a Court Designated Child Advocate and literacy tutoring for at-risk high school students. She continues to serve actively as director of the Paradise Valley Amateur Astronomers Association, an organization dedicated to fighting urban light pollution in the south county. She is also an active member of the University of California's Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program for Santa Clara County. Julia holds a bachelor's degree in history from UCLA, and a juris doctorate from Santa Clara University. She skis competitively and placed in the National Standard Racer finals in winter 2009. Julia has two grown children, and lives with her husband Scott in Morgan Hill.