It started out as a way to see how a Junior League member-leadership initiative worked. It ended up as a way to see how she can make a difference in Sacramento.

When the Junior League of Los Angeles launched its Appointments to Boards and Commissions Institute (ABCI) in 2010, Julie Elginer was part of the team that launched the innovative program, which offers training to JLLA members who want to pursue appointments to one of California’s many public boards and commissions at the local, county, and state governmental levels.

After the ABCI launched, Julie filled out an application on the Governor’s website and promptly forgot about it. But almost a year later – three weeks after the birth of her son, James – she received a call from Governor Jerry Brown’s office asking to interview her for two separate positions. Ultimately, she was tapped for a 4-year term as a member of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Established in 1922 and operating independently as a “healing arts” board, the BCE is responsible for overseeing the practices of nearly 14,000 chiropractors in the state of California.

Julie says, “After interviewing with multiple people from his staff, I was confirmed in late May, was sworn in and chatting with the Governor less than 36 hours later and 15 minutes after taking the oath of office, I presided over my first Board Meeting. It was a bit surreal.”

A look at Julie’s professional background suggests that she may be a great choice for the job.

Starting from a background in marketing and finance for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, Julie earned a Doctor of Public Health degree in health services from UCLA and has been a lecturer at its School of Public Health while operating her own company, Elginer Advocacy Group, since 2011.

But that leaves out an important element in Julie’s background – her leadership roles in JLLA as Public Policy Director, responsible for providing direction to nearly forty women conducting myriad public affairs on emerging issues at the state and local levels. In addition, Julie honed her advocacy skills as Co-Chair of the Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee (Cal-SPAC) on issues like perinatal depression awareness and human trafficking. Plus her facilitation skills as an Action Learning Team coach will undoubtedly be useful as she navigates this new landscape.

As Julie is the first to point out…Junior League training prepares you for almost anything! “You just have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone and make it happen.”