Julia Gilliam Sterling serves as the Director of Grantmaking for the Gilliam Family Foundation. This foundation invests in initiatives that support various areas in their home region of Southwest Virginia, including education, environmental stewardship, economic opportunity, health and wellness, and the arts. Julia has a personal passion for early childhood education. She worked as an elementary education teacher in Virginia public schools for five years, with her last position being a second-grade teacher in Richmond Public Schools. Julia holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond and a Master’s in Teaching Elementary Education from the University of Virginia.