This is our official kickoff to a series of blog posts introducing you, dear readers, to the super talented and all-around awesome members of our founding team. First in line for this great honor is Julie Loyd, our VP of Services. Curious to learn more about this nonprofit technology industry veteran whose superpower is considering all possible outcomes and having a solid plan? Not only that, her karaoke rendition of ‘Shoop’ by Salt n’ Pepa is legendary! Read on, learn more, and enjoy!
Julie moved around a lot as a kid, which allowed her to see and experience many different parts of the United States. After college, and early on in her career, she moved to New York City where she landed a role working at a family services organization. Then, a twist of fate. This organization used Salesforce, and Julie became the ‘accidental admin’ because of her detail-oriented nature and natural ability with technology systems. What’s an accidental admin, you ask? Well, in many small organizations, the accidental admin is the person who falls into the role of administering the Salesforce system, often without dedicated resources, training, or certifications. For Julie, this role as an accidental Salesforce admin started her on a journey that has now spanned 17 years. Realizing the incredible potential of the Salesforce system for nonprofits, Julie pursued a number of different certifications including Salesforce System Administrator, Platform App Builder, Sales Cloud Consultant, and Nonprofit Cloud Consultant. And look at her now! VP, Services at The Fresh Perspective Group, a services firm on a mission to simplify the complex technology issues facing nonprofits.
Julie was drawn to the place where nonprofits and Salesforce intersect because she quickly saw the incredible potential of the platform for charitable organizations. Julie has worked at or with nonprofits for 20 years and specifically with Salesforce + nonprofits for 17 years. In her role as VP of Services, she leads the services team, the talented and experienced folks doing the ‘fingers on keyboards’ work of client engagements. When asked to reflect on her unique skills, Julie shared, “My role as a leader is to make sure my team has the tools they need to be successful. I'm here to support them. My superpower is understanding all possible outcomes so that we can plan for the unexpected. It's what makes me good at my job.” Julie had had the immense pleasure of working with several of the other founding team members in previous roles and had a high degree of confidence that joining this team was the right decision for her. Her favorite part about her job is collaboration, problem-solving, and helping nonprofits. She has seen firsthand how technology can reduce manual administration time, allowing fundraisers and service providers to focus on the people at their organization. This means they can raise more money, reach more service recipients, and offer better support and experiences to dedicated volunteers. Not only that, embracing technology gives nonprofit staff more time and capacity to focus on their mission. This is the motivation that drives Julie forward in her career.
Julie is very excited to be part of the founding team at The Fresh Perspective Group and can’t wait for what’s next! When she’s not leading the services team and bringing value to nonprofit clients with tailored technology solutions, she enjoys reading books, travelling, and seeing live music. She also into spending time with her family (especially her two adorable nephews), UT Longhorn football, and eating all the amazing food that Austin has to offer. Want to see a quick video that introduces Julie and the rest of the team? Check it out here.
If your organization is using Salesforce but could use some expert guidance to build your long-term strategy and roadmap, please reach out! Julie and the rest of the team are keen to chat with you.