When we asked you, our readers, to nominate outstanding women in our community to be featured in this issue, we received some wonderful submissions. We found Julie Porter, however, to be a true pillar and we are proud to share her story.
Julie is the glue at Mountain Park Elementary where she has worked for 10 years, starting as a paraprofessional in special education and moving to the front office six years ago.
Prior to starting her family, she worked for the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau for 17 years. “My experience in the hospitality industry makes the front office job a perfect fit for me,” says Julie.
Julie has two boys. Campbell graduated from Roswell High School in 2021 and is now a junior at Georgia College and State University. Hampton is a senior at RHS and will attend Georgia Southern University (her alma mater) in the fall. Julie’s husband, David, passed away in 2014 from an extremely rare stomach cancer. “During his one-year battle with this disease, he never felt sorry for himself, he never felt anger, and he never said, ‘Why me?’ He simply faced the cards he was dealt and relied on his faith to carry him through,” Julie says. She reflects on his strength in raising her sons on her own and credits her family and friends, Brookfield neighbors, and work family at MPE who continue to raise her up daily. “I never would have survived without their love and support.” Julie has two sisters who both live in Towne Lake near their mother, and a brother in Alpharetta.
We wish Julie a delightful Mother’s Day and a bright future!
“I want our students to feel loved, special, and important and for every staff member to feel that I am here for them. I want our parents and guardians to feel welcome when they walk through our doors and grateful that their child goes to school here.”