Julia A. Freedman
Chief Program and Services Officer, brings more than 30 years senior-level experience with a Fortune 500 company where she served in multiple leadership roles in business development, marketing and strategic planning with specialized experience in developing and leading global philanthropic endeavors and directing high-concept communications. She also held leadership positions with non-profit organizations.
Before founding Literacy and Life, Freedman served as senior vice president at Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) with responsibility for developing and directing the strategic business plan. The plan supported broadening and solidifying recognition and adoption of products and services for individuals with print disabilities at a national level. She had direct responsibility for Customer Services, Library Services, Market Development, Integrated Marketing and Sales, Professional Relations and Strategic Alliances. Julia was also the project director for RFB&D’s Federal Grant working closely with the Government Relations Office, contacts at the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and on the Hill.
Before joining RFB&D, Julia spent 25 years at Johnson & Johnson. During her career there, she served in multiple senior leadership roles, including Executive Director, Corporate Contributions & Community Relations Worldwide. In that role, Julia directed and managed areas of corporate giving and social investment for the company’s global philanthropic activities. She initiated sustainable programs focusing on women and children, access to healthcare, advancing healthcare knowledge, and global public health and disaster relief.
Julia served as Executive Director of the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, an organization she helped found and partnered with medical associations and opinion leaders on initiatives focused on improving learning and research in pediatrics, child development and maternal care. She also held positions as Director, Professional Marketing Worldwide for Consumer Franchises; and National Manager, Drug, Pharmacy, and Professional Division of the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company, South Africa. She served as Director, Professional Sales & Marketing Training for McNeil Consumer Products Company, and a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary.
Among Julia’s many professional alliances are the World Health Organization, UNICEF; the International Pediatric Society, Royal College of Midwives; American Academy of Pediatrics; Royal college of Child Health; Society for Research and Child Development; International Society of Infant Development, as well as other national, international and community based organizations.
She is an advisory board member of the Dean of Science at New York University (NYU) College of Arts & Science. She is also on the board of Halberd Match Corporation, a company that develops and markets proprietary imaging technologies for the security and defense industry. Julia received her degree from Washington State University where she studied health sciences and psychology. She also completed the Senior Executive Leadership Program at Duke University “World Class Competitor in Global Marketing”.