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Texas Parent PAC Co-chair Julie Cowan discusses the importance of advocacy for public education and how this organization helps build support for good policy at the Texas Legislature.

Julie was an elected trustee on the Austin ISD school board in 2014-2018, and she was secretary of the board. During her board tenure she was president of the Central Texas School Board Association and a member of the Texas Association of School Boards Legislative Advocacy Council. She also served on the Austin Ed Fund Board and currently serves on the United Way and Austin ISD PreK Partnership advisory board. Previously, Julie was president of the Doss Elementary PTA, Murchison Middle School PTSA, and Anderson High School PTSA, as well as their campus advisory councils. Julie also was vice president of the Austin Council of PTAs and served on many district-wide committees, including the 2008 inaugural class of AISD UpClose, the 2008 Citizens' Bond Advisory Committee, 2007 and 2008 Budget Task Forces, 2009 ELA AP/IB Textbook Adoption Committee, and the 2008 Middle School Strategic Plan Task Force. Professionally, Julie has held positions as a legislative aide in the Texas House of Representatives and as a physician and community relations specialist at multiple Texas hospitals. She most recently worked as a school improvement facilitator at Anderson High School. In the community, she was president of the Travis County Medical Alliance and co-chair of the St. David's Foundation Alliance. Julie attended Southern Methodist University where she earned a BA in political science, BFA in public relations, and a lifetime secondary teaching certificate in the subjects of government and journalism. An active member of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Julie has taught religious education, vacation bible school, and currently serves as a Eucharistic Minister. She and her husband, Dr. Rob Cowan, have three children.