Julia Jordan Joins UC Law SF as Chief Advancement Officer


Julia Jordan, the new Chief Advancement Officer at UC Law SF, brings a wealth of experience in leading successful fundraising initiatives. With a history of working at the Bay Area Discovery Museum and Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, she is now taking on the challenge of raising funds for key projects at UC Law SF. In this interview, Julia shares her journey into the world of advancement, what drives her passion for fundraising, and her plans to help the college grow and make a greater impact.

Julia Jordan Joins UC Law SF as Chief Advancement Officer
Julia Jordan Joins UC Law SF as Chief Advancement Officer

What Led Julia to a Career in Advancement?

Julia first got involved in fundraising during her undergraduate years at Whitman College. As a volunteer for the phone-a-thon program, she reached out to alumni and parents to encourage donations. This experience helped her realize how much she enjoyed connecting with people and building relationships. Her goal was to find ways to work together to support an organization’s mission, and she found it inspiring to see how donors could help bring an organization’s vision to life.

A Proud Moment in Her Career

One of Julia’s career highlights was leading a $19 million fundraising campaign for new exhibits at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Marin County. The campaign aimed to create research-based exhibits for young children, and reaching the final fundraising goal was a significant achievement after years of hard work. The success of the campaign allowed the museum to collaborate with a world-class architect and develop cutting-edge exhibits that fostered learning and creativity.

What Julia Finds Most Rewarding About Her Work

Julia loves getting to know the donors and understanding what motivates them to support a cause. She enjoys finding ways to deepen their involvement and help make the organization’s vision a reality. In all the places she has worked, Julia has noticed a common theme: a commitment to making the organization as strong as possible. Working with passionate people to support important causes such as education and affordable housing is what keeps her motivated.

Excitement About Joining UC Law SF

Education is a personal priority for Julia, and she is thrilled to be fundraising in an academic environment again. UC Law SF, as California’s first law school, has a rich history and a promising future. The college is expanding its housing options to accommodate not just law students, but also students from various disciplines. There is a strong focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and supporting academic initiatives that prepare students to tackle legal and societal challenges. Julia believes this ambitious vision makes UC Law SF a top choice for law school, which in turn makes fundraising easier, as graduates tend to remain connected to the institution.

Impressions of the UC Law SF Alumni Community

Julia has found the UC Law SF alumni community to be very supportive of the college’s plans for the future, including its transformation into a living and learning community known as the Academic Village. Alumni are impressed by the college’s state-of-the-art facilities and are committed to ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds have access to quality education through scholarships and special programs.

How Julia Unwinds

Outside of work, Julia enjoys spending time with her family and their dog, embracing the outdoors. She loves visiting farmers markets, experimenting with fresh local produce, and trying out new recipes. Her two sons are her greatest joy, and she is constantly amazed by how quickly they are growing up.

A Fun Fact About Julia

One surprising detail about Julia is that she once spent an entire summer working on a worm composting farm in rural Spain. Instead of choosing a traditional study abroad program, she opted for a hands-on experience in Galicia, where she learned about the life cycles of worms and their contributions to the ecosystem.


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