Julie Hunt Johnson
- Workplace: Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring (CTLM)
- Role: Program Manager, Instructor Engagement & Innovation
- Pronouns: She/Her
Briefly describe your role and key job responsibilities at UW–Madison
As a program manager with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring, I lead professional development programming for campus educators, including the workshop series “Teaching at UW.” I work with instructors and TAs at all career stages, both in workshops and in one-on-one consultations.
What is the most rewarding project you have worked on at UW–Madison?
During “continuity of instruction” (i.e. 2020 remote instruction), I joined a cross-campus community of instructional support staff that delivered online teaching support to campus instructors. It was an unprecedented & challenging time, but the teaching and learning community at UW-Madison was and continues to be full of thoughtful, supportive, and collaborative colleagues. It is a privilege to work in this community.
What is your favorite way to take a break from screens on campus?
On warm, sunny afternoons, I love sitting in the shade of the trees next to the Washburn Observatory overlooking Lake Mendota and Picnic Point off in the distance. When sitting outside in the grass isn’t an option, I enjoy spending time in the Discovery Institute surrounded by nature indoors.
Please share any hobbies, sports, arts and crafts, or leisure activities you are passionate about.
I have an amateur-level interest in interior design. My family recently moved into a house built in the late 1800s, and it has been fun (and exhausting) fixing it up and making it sparkle again. I’m a fitness class junkie – I have tried just about every possible workout class in Madison (yoga, barre, pilates, crossfit, group training, etc.). And I’m also a singer. I’ve been in numerous choirs throughout my life, and I’m currently a member of the Madison Chamber Choir.
What is the latest concert or performance you attended?
My daughter and I recently attended the Children’s Theater of Madison’s production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (inspired by the 1997 teleplay starring Brandy and Whitney Houston). I loved that teleplay when I was young, and it was wonderful sharing that same joy and excitement with my daughter.
Do you volunteer, and if so, what got you involved or what do you love about it?
I am currently between volunteer commitments, but for quite some time I volunteered with a local Madison youth group and chaperoned several high school youth service trips around the country.
Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I live in Madison with my husband, daughter and fluffy ragdoll cat named Bear (Bear is a celebrity guest on many of my Zoom calls). My husband and I met working at Indiana University and moved to Madison in 2012 when I started my PhD program in the Department of Educational Psychology. We lived in Eagle Heights and immediately fell in love with the natural beauty and outdoor pursuits in Madison and across Wisconsin. Along with our 6-year-old, we enjoy cross-country skiing, ice-skating, camping, hiking, paddling, and biking.
Anything else you would like your UW–Madison colleagues to know about you, like a fun fact?
A few fun facts: (1) I am a talented face paint artist (which is a hit with 6-year-olds) (2) I’ve lived in every state that begins with an “I” (as long as you include living for 5 months in a tent in the Idaho Sawtooth Range) (3) My husband and I are on a quest to find the best fried cheese curd in Madison. This quest is more about the journey than the destination.
Julie was nominated by a colleague.