Distance Education Instructor, Julie Spada, is thrilled to join the Unity College team and brings with her over 17 years of teaching experience at various levels. Julie has a unique background that includes a Master’s Degree in Education, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance with an emphasis in Ballet, and is working towards a second Master’s Degree in Social Work specializing in Clinical Therapy.   

Julie is a native to Washington state and was raised in the small Island town of Anacortes, in the San Juan’s. Julie is passionate about the ocean, hiking, yoga, dance, mind and body wellness, and her three daughters.  

For the past 13 years, Julie has been faculty for Washington State Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison, providing education courses and vocational training for the incarcerated.  Understanding the anxiety and pressure that can exist from teaching in a prison environment, Julie additionally developed a stress resiliency program. This program helped corrections staff and new educational faculty prioritize their health to ensure a work/life balance and resilience to the stress of the prison setting.

Prior to her teaching career, Julie was a professional ballet dancer which gave her a solid understanding of the psychological and physical rewards that can come from mental toughness and grit. In any educational goal, it is lifelong concepts like these that Julie strives to instill in her students. Julie believes in fostering strategies for success that will serve a student well beyond their educational journey and throughout their lifetime.

Julie has a warm-hearted approach and meets students wherever they are to help them find success regardless of their circumstances or background. Julie is passionate about working with all levels of students and has found the experience to be rewarding and part of her life’s purpose. Julie is very excited to be working with the students at Unity College and is dedicated to helping them find success in their educational and professional goals.