Alumni
Our Alumni
Julia Ellis '16, Brand Strategist
Brand Strategy Coordinator, ShopStyle
What warms your heart when you think of your time at Scheck Hillel?
What warms your heart when you think of your time at Scheck Hillel?
That the people I grew up with from the age of four are still in my life now thanks to Hillel, and are actually my family.
Share a funny or unique story from your Scheck Hillel days.
Flying to Israel with Jade Mimoun, Ariel Croitoru and Mr. Yativ when we had to stay back to take our AP exams freshman year because we forgot to pay for ours on time.
Was there a teacher who had a positive impact and made you feel like you could do it all?
Mr. (Gerry) Cirulnick in AP English always offered me encouraging words and made me feel very capable.
Do you feel your days as a Scheck Hillel student had an impact on your adult life and your choices? How so?
Yes, definitely. I have such a strong Jewish identity thanks to my 16 years at Scheck Hillel. All of my friends who I grew up with are still so close; and we love to get together to celebrate Shabbat and the Jewish holidays. We have been there for one another in every big milestone moment.
What educational path did you follow?
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2020 with a Bachelor’s in Communication Science and a minor in Digital Studies.
What is your current profession and where do you work? How did you come to work in this field?
I am a Brand Strategy Coordinator for the e-commerce website ShopStyle, where you can find all things fashion, beauty, lifestyle and your favorite influencers posting links to their ShopStyle finds. I always had an interest in e-commerce and lifestyle content and have worked in social media, marketing, and in the fashion and beauty spaces. I wanted to be on the creative side of all these things and really looked for a job that best suited my skillset and interests. I am super grateful to be in this position and to be able to create strategies behind the campaigns that large companies like L'Oreal, Nordstrom, and many others have in the works.
What is most rewarding about the work you do? What are you passionate about?
The most rewarding thing is how supportive my coworkers are and how my company really values every employee and makes sure to do monthly check-ins to ensure everyone is taking care of themselves. I am really passionate about brand campaigns and the emotional response they can evoke from a consumer.
Looking back, what advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
I would tell myself that you need to continue doing what you love and putting yourself out there, and everything will work itself out even if it takes longer than anticipated. Very cliché but also very true. Do not let other people’s success intimidate you and do not compare yourself to others. Just do you.
