About Me
I have a lifelong connection to independent schools.
As a proud graduate of Foothill Country Day School in Claremont and Polytechnic School in Pasadena, I experienced firsthand the transformative impact these communities have on students and families. They gave me lifelong friends, taught me clear values, and set me on the path to my dream college, Duke University.
After college, I joined the Marketing and Communications team at Chadwick School, where I spent four years on staff. I supported everything from admissions campaigns to internal communications and digital initiatives like search engine marketing. I also coached middle school basketball and volleyball, immersing myself in the Chadwick community. That experience gave me a deeper understanding of how independent schools operate, and I have continued to support the school as a trusted freelance partner since 2018.
When I decided to pursue my MBA at UCLA Anderson to further my marketing career, the Chadwick team supported me wholeheartedly. Business school—and later, leading marketing and sales at a fast-growing tech startup—sharpened my business acumen and broadened my ability to add value across departments.
Now, with a decade of marketing experience, I’m proud to give back to the institutions that shaped me. I love helping schools tell their stories, engage their communities, and bring ideas to life. Supporting independent schools isn’t just what I do—it’s part of who I am.
Experience
Chadwick School
Freelance Marketer, 2018-Present
- Oversaw project management for Educational Planning Guide and Curriculum Overview booklets, partnering with Head of Curriculum, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, Head of the Upper School, and external designers to deliver timely, accurate, and audience-aligned content for grades 6-12
- Designed Athletic Director Position Statement to support a high-impact executive search, translating the school’s unique value into clear, brand-aligned messaging; praised by leadership for quick turnaround, strategic clarity, and visual execution
- Authored four alumni award articles (1,200–1,500 words) for Chadwick’s Compass Magazine and alumni awards ceremony, conducting interviews and crafting narratives to honor recipients and elevate alumni engagement
- Supported crisis communications during COVID – updated portals and crisis communications documentation and sent out emails
Balloon
Marketing & Partnerships Lead, 2020-2024
- Led go-to-market campaign strategy, including omnichannel launch of branded discussion templates in collaboration with thought leaders like Adam Grant, driving a 13% lead increase and securing a top 15 Product Hunt release
- Drove development of tailored proposals, decks, and sales enablement materials in partnership with Product, Sales, and Marketing; centered client needs to secure six-figure strategic deals with high-value accounts
- Owned lifecycle marketing strategy across email and in-app messaging, launching automated workflows to drive product engagement, reactivation, and upsell—resulting in a 31% lift in mid-funnel engagement and improved retention over time
- Uncovered retention opportunities through customer research and Customer Advisory Board facilitation; partnered with Product and CS to develop and launch new reporting-based offerings, increasing customer value and MRR by 40%
Mailchimp
Product Marketing MBA Intern
- Spearheaded research on entrepreneurs, incubators, and accelerators to develop recommendations on product features, partnerships, and bundling options to maximize customer retention and increase CLV; research was published in consumer-facing SMB Marketing Trends Report on Mailchimp.com
- Shaped 2020 Brand Strategy aimed at engaging small business owners earlier in the business lifecycle through customer conversations, turning pain points into targeted customer messaging used throughout Mailchimp platform and campaigns
Chadwick School
Assistant Manager of Marketing & Communications, 2016 – 2018
Special Projects Associate, 2015-2016
- Established need for email marketing targeting lead generation and retention; implemented campaigns to attract high-quality leads, keep customers engaged after initial touchpoint, and drive customers to campus where retention increased significantly
- Acted as internal marketing and creative agency to Admission department for 3+ years, working closely to advise on advertising and communications to prospective families and 300+ yearly applicants; managed 3 teams through Admission Viewbook redesign process from idea to execution
- Created yearly strategic marketing plans allocating $10K SEM budget to promote special events corresponding to key stages of admission cycle, driving new leads to website and 10% increase in applications, increasing impressions (4x) & CTR (5x)
Education
UCLA Anderson School of Management
Masters in Business Administration, Marketing
Leadership: VP, Evolve Conference–Retail Business Association; Leadership Development Program; Admission Interviewer
Academic Internship: Marketing Strategy at DTC startup, ClearClub. Focus – priority email flows and website optimization
Duke University
Bachelor of Science, Evolutionary Anthropology
Education Minor
Leadership: Duke Community Standards Board Review, Intramural Volleyball (captain)
Membership: Duke Alumni Admissions Committee, Partners for Success tutor, Delta Gamma Sorority
Polytechnic School
Grades 9-12
Foothill Country Day School
Grades K-8
My Mission and Values
My mission is to provide Los Angeles-area independent schools with reliable, high-quality marketing and communications project support. I offer tailored support and efficient project management, empowering school leaders to effectively tell their story, achieve their goals, and ensure that every initiative consistently reflects the school’s brand, core values, and mission.
My commitment is to create impactful deliverables that always align to what each school stands for, no matter how big or small the project. You’re in the driver’s seat: Show me where you want to go, and I’ll help you build the path to get there.
“Who can get things done effectively, efficiently, at a high-quality level and without a lot of supervision? Julia Brown!”
— Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, Chadwick School
Julia Sarah Brown 