Julie Davis, PhD, has joined 106 Group as a Senior Interpretive Planner. In her new role, Julie will lead interpretive planning and exhibit development projects for cultural sites and museums. Julie brings over 25 years as a researcher, writer, educator, and public historian to the team. She has worked extensively in interpretation and exhibit development for museums and historic sites, and excels at archival, collections, oral history, and field research. A careful listener and skilled facilitator, Julie collaborates with clients, stakeholders, and community members to articulate needs and meet goals.
With a PhD in history from Arizona State University, Julie offers expertise in U.S., Native American, and other Indigenous histories, as well as outreach and engagement with Native communities. Her book on the AIM (American Indian Movement) Survival Schools was a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award in 2013. She is skilled with the use of digital technologies to document, preserve, and interpret history and cultural heritage resources. She is also active with the National Council on Public History (NCPH) and serves on the organization’s digital media committee. Julie is committed to telling compelling stories and creating engaging experiences that connect people with the past.
Julie has taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, and developed curriculum on managing digital public history projects, practicing community engagement around historical documentation and interpretation, and on Native American history.
Julie grew up in the small town of Cass Lake in northern Minnesota, and she has lived in Bemidji, Moorhead, Duluth, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. She also has lived and worked in Illinois, Arizona, and North Carolina, and has spent time living abroad in London, Galway, and Belfast.