Julie Turner earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, her MA in Adult and Continuing Education at Michigan State University, and her BA in Sociology and Religion at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Dr. Turner has nearly twenty years of experience in education and nonprofit leadership, having served as a K-12 teacher and administrator in both Michigan and Missouri, and serving in a variety of leadership capacities through organizations such as Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Greater St. Louis, Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis, Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation, and Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Turner has also supported nonprofit organizations through volunteer efforts, such as serving on the Board of Directors for Westgate Christian Academy and on the Tri-County Auxilary Board and the Youth Development Allocation Panel for the United Way of Greater St. Louis. Dr. Turner is a member of the School of Human Services at Lindenwood University as an Assistant Professor of Nonprofit Administration at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Turner and her husband and three young daughters reside in St. Charles County, Missouri.

Guiding Philosophy

For nearly a century, nonprofit organizations have fulfilled a variety of functions that help build and maintain civil society. They offer resources to residents of local communities and enable individuals to take an active role in their communities and contribute to the overall well-being of these communities. Nonprofit organizations also provide the basis and infrastructure for forming social networks that support strong communities. Civil society requires more than linking individuals to institutions; it requires building relationships among people. In these ways, nonprofit organizations add value to community life. Because nonprofit organizations are the mechanisms by which many people actively participate and become involved in their communities, they are important conduits for voicing community preferences and they require continual renewal to maintain their value and effectiveness.