Helping people fall in love with the problem to find the right solution.
From strategic communications to grant writing to digital storytelling to UX customer journey mapping, we often fall in love with the solution we want to implement before truly investigating the perceived problem. I’ve been facilitating groups since the early 2000s, sharing my insights on creative problem solving with youth, adult learners, and colleagues. My approach involves creative exploration, reframing, iteration, consultation, and testing to find solutions that fit.
Engaging Facilitator
In addition to extensive experience facilitating in-person sessions, my Masters of Digital Experience Innovation Degree (MDEI) from the University of Waterloo has equipped me with tactics for facilitating engaging virtual sessions.
Watch my most recent conference talk below for an overview of my favourite online facilitation tools.
Learn how past participants felt about my sessions, by reading their tweets.
Lifelong Learner
As someone who values lifelong learning, I want to share this love from the other side of the classroom. Since 2015, I’ve been an instructor at Western Continuing Studies in Not-for-Profit Management, Public Relations, and Digital Communications. I’ve also developed a number of in-person, hybrid, and online courses .
Upcoming Classes:
– Digital Storytelling, Western Continuing Studies (Online, Spring 2021)
Conference Speaker
I’ve presented at a number of conferences including #PSEWEB, HighEdWeb Michigan.
Recent Sessions Include:
– That’s my Jam: Using Google Jamboard for UX Mapping, Design Sprints, and Collaboration in Higher Ed (#PSEWEB, Online 2020)
– Your Poster is Ugly: Tales from a Multi-Year Digital Recruitment Campaign (#PSEWEB, London, 2019)
– #ShortVideo (HighEdWeb Michigan, 2016 and #PSEWEB, Newfoundland, 2016)
Sample Session
Presented July 14th 2020 at the PSEWEB Virtual Conference, learn more here:
https://pseweb.ca/session/thats-my-jam-using-google-jamboard-for-ux-mapping-design-sprints-and-collaboration-in-higher-ed/
About Julia
I’m a communications professional, facilitator, arts manager, designer, and problem solver living in London, Ontario (Canada). I use my love for the Arts and the wonderful people who make it to fuel creative communication strategies that delight and engage.
Prior to my work in post-secondary education, I worked as a Contemporary Media workshop facilitator for youth, and was the Executive Director of one of Canada’s oldest artist-run galleries. I’m passionate about leveraging creative content to create opportunities for meaningful community dialogue.
I am a Senior Facilitator and Coach, on the Talent, Learning, and Engagement Team at Western University and am an instructor for Western Continuing Studies where I’ve developed and taught courses in Digital Storytelling, Grant Writing, Public Relations, and Arts Management. In addition, at Western I am the Past President of the Professional Managerial Association, and have also worked in roles the Department of Communications and Public Affairs and managed Communication and Operations within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. I studied Visual Arts and Arts Management at the University of Ottawa, hold an Honours BFA, and Professional Certificate in Communications and Public Relations from Western University. I am an alumna of the Customer Insights program at the Ivey Business School and am currently working towards my Masters of Digital Experience Innovation at the University of Waterloo Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business.
Julia Beltrano 