Julia Manley
“Julia is a West Virginia native and wants to continue advocating for the state and educating others about Appalachian culture.”
As a West Virginia native and former journalist, Julia immersed herself in the culture, understanding how to advocate and educate others about Appalachia. Julia was able to spend a great deal of time learning different perspectives from professionals who lives in the Mountain State and outside of West Virginia. Working with WV News, Politico, 100 Days of Appalachia, and the West Virginia Visitors Bureau were a few of the organizations she was privileged to work with.
Julia graduated from the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University (WVU), Class of 2022, with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism (B.S.J.) degree. From there, she found a love for building community with non-profits, working in higher education, and telling stories through social media to be able to raise awareness for social and economic issues. Julia holds a deep admiration for Appalachia and the people who work tirelessly to make a difference in their communities.
In Julia's personal time, she is a local basketball coach in her home community. She spent three seasons coaching high school and now coaches at a local middle school. It is her way of staying close to the game she loves while also giving back to the community by creating a positive environment where female athletes can learn and grow into the best player and person.