Madrona Venture Group announced today that Julie Sandler has been selected to be a member of the Presidential Leadership Scholars class of 2016. “This is a great honor and recognizes the passion and leadership that Julie brings to everything she does, from her work at Madrona and with entrepreneurs, to the courses she teaches at the University of Washington, to building a strong startup community in the region,” said Scott Jacobson, Managing Director, Madrona Venture Group.
The Presidential Leadership Scholars is a unique leadership development initiative that draws upon the resources of the U.S. presidential centers of Lyndon B. Johnson, George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton, and George W. Bush. These presidential centers have partnered to bring together a select group of leaders who have the desire and capacity to take their leadership strengths to a higher level in order to help their communities and our country.
As a Principal at Madrona, Julie leads new investment opportunities for the firm, works with companies across the Madrona portfolio, and is active within the Pacific Northwest technology community. She launched the Seattle Entrepreneurial Women’s Network (SEWN), an informal forum for women entrepreneurs, startuppers, and aspiring entrepreneurs to connect in the greater Seattle area. For her work in the community, Julie was named Geekwire’s “Geek of the Year” in 2014.
Julie is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Washington, where she teaches an MBA course on Entrepreneurship at the Foster School of Business and where, in both 2014 and 2015, she received Foster’s “Star Teacher” designation. She serves on the board of the Seattle Repertory Theatre, is a regular speaker at technology industry events, and recently assumed a leadership role with the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship organization, focused on strategic program scaling initiatives.
More about the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program
Sixty-two scholars from a variety of sectors – private, public, non-profit, military, and academia – were invited to participate in this year’s cohort, which will begin a 6-month program over a series of monthly sessions, beginning at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home, in February. Over the course of the program, scholars will travel to each participating presidential center to learn from former presidents, key administration officials, and leading academics to learn and put into practice varying approaches to leadership, develop a network of peers, and exchange ideas to help them make an impact in their communities.
Related Insights
