Julie Nix, Blue Ridge

Julie Nix, Board Chair for Franklin County Public Schools, began her service on the School Board in an unconventional way. A seat was vacated mid-term, and her child’s elementary school principal approached her about interviewing for the position. After she asked for some time to think about the offer, the principal replied, “Take all the time you need, but they need an answer tomorrow.” After being chosen unanimously by the Board in 2013, she intended to fill the seat until someone else expressed an interest, but then a funny thing happened: she fell in love with the job, and is still in love with it today. She is the Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Ferrum College, and spends her free time visiting schools, attending various performances by students around the county, and offering support to students and staff alike. Julie enjoys eating Indian food, watching embarrassing amounts of home improvement shows, and reading to elementary students in her PJ’s. She has two daughters, but she likes to say that she doesn’t have two children; she has 6000.