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Julia J. Parker has worked in both the public and private sectors in community development and impact investing. After stints working in the US Senate and with the City of Omaha, Julia started her nonprofit career at Building Bright Futures, a nonprofit incubator supporting organizations focused on educational outcomes for children experiencing the violence of poverty. She went on to start a nonprofit strategy consultancy, Park4029, that worked with small, high-growth, mission-based organizations. Julia then served as Executive Director of Omaha Small Business Network (OSBN), a community development entity where she worked on microfinance and business strategy for small businesses. She ran the OSBN Accelerator in a 50,000 sq/ft facility housing over 28 social enterprises, start-ups, and small businesses and provided guidance to entrepreneurs including financial support ranging from grants to debt and equity. The accelerator supported 150 jobs and generated $2.5M in annual revenue in a low-wealth BIPOC community. 

Julia has a passion for investing in BIPOC entrepreneurs and business owners which she did as Director of Economic Development at Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, a Boston area CDFI. She focused on debt capital strategy, economic mobility, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship for returning citizens. Julia previously served as Managing Director at The Crane Institute for Sustainability’s Intentional Endowments Network, where she focused on community investing and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) investing across asset classes for mission-focused higher-ed endowments and foundations. Julia went on to serve as Senior Investments Manager at Connect Humanity, a nonprofit lender focused on digital equity and internet access for all. She currently serves as Chief Lending and Impact Officer for Appalachian Community Capital supporting CDFIs and small businesses in the Appalachian region of the US.

Julia holds a BA in Political Science and International Relations from Creighton University and an MS in Urban Studies from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Julia has an MBA from Boston College Carroll School of Management focusing on Finance and Entrepreneurship.