Julia Gamba Finds a New Career Path at Elizabeth House
Since November 2022, Julia Gamba has been greeting Elizabeth House residents, alumni, donors, and staff with a big smile and an even bigger heart. Until very recently, she would be the first face you’d see if you visited the Center for Mother & Child Wellbeing. You can still find her at the Center, but now she’s there as the Community Engagement Manager for Elizabeth House—a position that brings together so many of her career goals.
Julia said, “When I started at Elizabeth House, I was growing my skill set. At some point, I became much more client-interfacing. I was meeting women in need and in crisis. I answered the phone a lot and did a lot of intakes. Women that were residents would walk down to the Center for class time or therapy. And I would interact with them. It's not just my heart that's in it. It's my gut too. I see injustice and people that I want to advocate for, and I get so angry about it all. For me, that doesn't just live in my heart. That lives in my gut. And I want to do something on the ground to help.”
That’s when it clicked for Julia. About a year ago, when Margaret Lee was still a board member (and not yet our Executive Director), Julia invited her for coffee. With Julia’s background in youth ministry and a strong interest in social work, she thought Margaret could help her synthesize her dreams into solid career goals.
At that meeting, Julia felt encouraged. “The more we talked, the more I got to share about my heart. Elizabeth House gave me those touch points and little hints of what it could be like. Margaret's conversation made it feel real.”
When Margaret started as Executive Director in May, she saw in Julia an outgoing, beloved member of the Elizabeth House staff. And when the Community Engagement Manager position became available, Margaret knew immediately that Julia was the person for the job. Margaret says, “Every organization needs someone who can help people feel like they belong and that's exactly what Julia does so well. She has a gift for making people feel seen, whether it's someone dropping off a donation or working with teenagers on a service project. She sees every interaction as an opportunity for a relationship, inviting them into the work we're doing at Elizabeth House.”
As Community Engagement Manager, Julia oversees the Volunteer Program and all Community Outreach efforts. “My favorite question to get is ‘What do you need?’ Because I love to meet people where they're at, but I also have a deep appreciation for people asking what Elizabeth House needs. That shows me such an openness to create something together.”
“Being new in this role, I am learning all the things, but I'm also dreaming of all the things. Elizabeth House is a place that caught me and that has also now launched me into the next part of my career.”
To connect with Julia, you can email her at juliag@elizabethhouse.net. To learn more about volunteering, click here. And to explore a partnership with Elizabeth House, click here.
