Julia Jester

Julia most recently served as the Deputy Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy (GRPP) at the Association of American Universities (AAU). At AAU she helped develop and implement federal advocacy strategies for the association, and led funding and policy issues related to the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

Before joining AAU in January of 2020, Julia was the Congressional Liaison Officer at the U.S. Geological Survey, a bureau of the Department of Interior. Prior to USGS, she led the congressional affairs team at the NSF for several years. On Capitol Hill, she served as staff director of the Subcommittee on Technology of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and spent six years on the personal staff of Congressman Vernon Ehlers of Grand Rapids, MI.

Julia earned her doctorate in Applied Science and master’s and bachelor’s in chemistry from William & Mary.