Celebrating Long-Term Staff

As we celebrate 98ɫ����’s 60th year, we want to spotlight some of the things that make 98ɫ���� special. One of our most valuable assets is our many long-term employees, who bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, skills, and deep compassion to their roles, their coworkers, and the people they serve.

Today’s Spotlight: Julie Hodges

Today, we want to highlight Julie Hodges, administrator at Willow Rock Psychiatric Health Facility, who has dedicated 30 years to 98ɫ����.

Congratulations on 30 years of exemplary service, Julie! Thank you for your commitment to adolescent mental health.

What Julie Has to Say:

“I started my career 30 years ago at Villa Fairmont as a newly registered nurse, working on call. I was given the opportunity to become the night shift supervisor three months later, and at that time, I could see the potential for long-term growth within the company. I worked with many amazing people at Villa Fairmont who served as amazing mentors for me, which I believe laid an amazing foundation for my professional career. A few of these people were Mary Ann Broker, Pansy Taft Butkowski, PJ Overholt, Mary Suilman, and Harvey Segalove—all 98ɫ���� heroes!

When my daughter, Taylor, was two years old and my son, Dominic, was a few months old, I received a call from Kate Jones about an opportunity to serve as the director of nursing at our newly opened psychiatric facility for youth, called Willow Rock. I was performing well with my current job, but something about this opportunity told me to come back to my roots and calling, helping those with mental health challenges. I took the challenge along with the call to be an administrator in 2020, right before the pandemic rolled in—what an adventure that was!

Eighteen years after starting at Willow Rock, I am still here, learning, growing, and trying to make a difference in the lives of young people. More importantly, I am trying to be a good leader and develop others to lead and serve, particularly the most vulnerable of populations, youth in psychiatric crisis, aged 12-18.

I stay at 98ɫ���� because I love the people I work with, and I enjoy the challenges of improving care systems and developing individuals who share my passion for making a positive impact. 98ɫ���� has stayed with me through aging and ill parents, raising Dominic and Taylor (now 18 and 20 and thriving), a few career paths, and constant navigation through an acute adolescent inpatient facility.

Thank you, Anne and team, for investing in me and giving me the opportunity to change lives and develop others to do so.”

—Julie Hodges, Willow Rock Center Administrator

What Made Julie’s Time at 98ɫ���� So Special:

Julie started at Villa Fairmont as a new graduate registered nurse and quickly advanced to night shift supervisor within three months. After working in pharmaceutical sales, she returned to 98ɫ���� as director of nursing at Willow Rock, eventually becoming administrator. She stepped into the leadership role in 2020, just before the pandemic, and has spent 18 years at Willow Rock, dedicated to serving youth in psychiatric crisis and developing staff to lead with compassion.