Julia Cummings, PhD, is a mission‑anchored communications and public engagement leader who helps institutions translate complex ideas into clear, trusted, and inclusive narratives. Since 2007, she has led strategic communications for the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education & Human Development, shaping storytelling, brand strategy, digital marketing, and creative direction. Known for principled judgment and collaborative leadership, she works across teams and executive offices to align storytelling, enrollment strategy, and institutional priorities into measurable public impact.

Before joining CU Denver, Julia served in communications leadership roles at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the National Audubon Society, the High Plains Library District, and the Smithsonian Institution. Across these settings, she acted as a connector between research and public understanding — expanding visibility, strengthening community engagement, and guiding organizations through moments of growth and change.

Julia holds a PhD in Public Affairs from CU Denver, where her research examines narrative strategy and the ways context and representation shape public participation. She also earned an MBA with a marketing concentration from CU Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities, magna cum laude, from the University of Colorado Boulder. She lectures in CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs and serves as affiliate faculty with the Center for Community Safety and Resilience, bridging scholarship with practice to inform ethical, evidence‑based communication.

Outside of work, Julia channels her creative spirit through gardening, cooking, hiking, and spending time with her loved ones and pets. She is the mother of three sons, and her husband, Steve, is a licensed commercial architect in Denver.