Fall is in the air, and here at the Bradford Group, we’re decorating pumpkins, drinking pumpkin-spice coffee and getting to know our newest account coordinator, Julia! Originally from Pennsylvania, Julia joins us with a degree in journalism from Rutgers University. She’s a great writer and has already gone knee-deep in several PR projects. Learn more about her in the Q&A below:

Where are you from and why did you choose to move to Nashville?

I am originally from Philadelphia, but I moved to Nashville because it is a fun, new city with many great opportunities for young professionals. Plus, my sister has been living here for almost three years, and she’s had a blast so far.

Why did you choose Rutgers University? Did you learn any life lessons while you were there? 

I chose Rutgers because of its proximity to New York City. I really thought that was where I wanted to end up for my career, but obviously, plans changed. Rutgers also has a very prevalent Jewish life on campus and they had the opportunity for me to continue with gymnastics, both of which were very important in choosing a school.

I learned to just be myself no matter what. I held a leadership position in a club that put a lot of pressure on me to be who everyone else wanted me to be, and I kind of got lost in it. It left me very skeptical about myself as a person and as a leader. I realized once my term was over that I should have stayed more true to myself and not let others dictate my choices. (It goes along with my favorite quote below.)

What’s your favorite thing about Nashville so far?

I LOVE all the music! You can’t go anywhere without hearing someone strumming a guitar and singing, even in the tiniest coffee shops. It’s so great!

What are you most looking forward to at the Bradford Group, both personally and professionally?

Personally, I’m looking forward to having great co-workers to collaborate with. I worked from home in my last job, and while I could spend a lot of time in my pajamas, I found I really wished I had people around me who were working on the projects with me.

Professionally, I’m looking forward to a lot of learning. This is the first full-time position of my career, so there is definitely still a lot that I don’t know. This seems like a great place for professional growth.

What does company culture mean to you?

It means having a relationship with your co-workers and your boss besides just a working one. That entails doing activities together in and outside the office for professional growth or simply bonding and team building. I don’t think you can truly work well with anyone unless you know a little bit about them on a personal level. In looking for a company, it was really important to me to find one where employees are appreciated and everyone in the office has a good rapport with each other. Working in a silent cubicle with no one speaking to each other did not sound like somewhere I wanted to be for eight hours a day.

What’s your favorite Nashville restaurant?

This is a tough one. I think right now I’d have to say Monell’s, specifically for brunch. It’s really a breakfast-lover’s dream!

Do you have any pets?

Yes, I have a guinea pig named Buddy. I cared for him as a favor to my aunt’s co-worker this summer, then ended up keeping him. I just bonded too much with the little guy to give him back, so I asked if I could take him off her hands. The woman was just happy to give him a good home.

If you could time travel to the past or future, where would you go and why?

Definitely the 80’s! I always joke I should have been born in that decade because I have the hair, and I love the clothing styles that were big then. I grew up on my parent’s music, which is mostly from the 70’s and 80’s, so I have a special place in my heart for it.

What’s your favorite food?

My first answer is lobster, but people get scared off by how expensive of a date I am, so my secondary answer is really any kind of pasta.

What’s your favorite quote?

“I am who I am.” It’s a quote from Exodus that G-d says to Moses when Moses asks what he should call G-d. It’s tattooed on my wrist, so of course it’s my favorite.

What three words describe your personality?

Bubbly, determined and very loyal

What’s the biggest challenge that you’ve faced in PR thus far? What did you learn from it?

I think my biggest challenge so far was finding where I belonged. I had tried looking for jobs in NYC, but ran into a bunch of people who didn’t accept any of my previous experience as real experience, or they called themselves a “marketing company” but just wanted me to be part of their pyramid scheme. I learned that, in starting your career, you have a right to be as picky about who you work with as a company would be when hiring a candidate.