Julia Violich
“Our doubts are traitors that oft make us lose the good we may win by fearing to attempt”
Team Role/Title: Co-Founder, Director of Finance
Place of Birth: Connecticut
Currently Reside: Marin County, California
Julia Violich has obtained two masters degrees from UC Berkeley in Business Administration and Public Health, with an emphasis on Healthcare Finance. While at Haas Business School, she was elected to the student executive committee and was a member of the Dean Search Committee that installed Laura Tyson as Dean. Prior to that she attended UC Berkeley and earned a Bachelor of Science in Physiology.
In 1988, Julia worked for Al Gore when he made his first run to become president. She was a member of his Public Relations and Press/Media Team. When she returned to California, she served on the Board of Directors for two prominent AIDS organizations and helped set health care policy in San Francisco as it related to AIDS and HIV.
Professionally, Julia has worked for both The Prudential and IBM in Director positions, however after graduate school, she got involved with agribusiness. Julia currently runs Violich Farms, Inc. one of the largest almond and walnut farming operations in the country, is the CFO of Capay Farms and oversees Violich Properties.
Julia is the co-founder and Finance Director for the TWENTY16 professional women’s cycling team that sent several girls to the London Olympics in 2012 where they earned a Gold and Silver medal.
Julia has been coaching the Redwood High School Mountain Bike Team for the past 13 years, the Branson High School Team for 4 years, Director of the Bear Development Team, a national junior elite team with riders from all over the U.S.
She is an avid cyclist herself and has five National Titles and earned a Silver medal at the World Championships in 2008.
Julia is the treasurer of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, USA Cycling Development Foundation Board, advisor for the NorCal High School Cycling League, treasurer of the Board of the Marin Museum of Bicycling
What are some of the best and most rewarding parts about working with such a strong team of diverse female athletes and staff?
As a woman myself, I am obviously bias about providing opportunity to female athletes, but putting my bias aside, I’ll answer a modification of the question that takes gender out of the equation “…with such a strong team of diverse athletes and staff”. Since my beginnings with the TWENTY16 team, I have been inspired and motivated by the diversity of the athlete that we attract. There is not cookie cutter athlete that does well in the sport and then earns a role on our team. We have mothers, dedicated soccer players, PhD graduates, para- athletes, cancer survivors, businesswomen, musicians, and tennis players. We also support women from all over the world with varied backgrounds and interests. It is truly inspiring to support these renaissance women, that are obviously devoted to their sport and to preforming for their country, but also dedicated to other interests that will benefit those around them.
What are some of the most difficult aspects of working with a professional women’s cycling team?
The most challenging aspect of the sport is funding. After 10 years of targeted marketing and as a result, and market penetration and customer loyalty, we still are working extraordinarily hard to obtain sponsorship for the girls. In the absence of TV presence and limited print media, women’s athletics is not perceived to be a valuable marketing tool. Our social media presence is hot and our following very strong, yet TV is still king and most media outlets still prioritize men’s events. We are slowly making headway with classics such as the Tour of California and the Tour of Colorado, featuring women’s events as well. It will take time, but in the meantime, women train and race as hard and as disciplined at their male counter parts.
What are your ultimate goals/overall vision for the future of the team? The sport?
The team has always been built on the mantra that we are a “development” team in the true sense of the word. We discover and develop up and coming riders that would not otherwise be picked up by a professional team. Over the years, we have attracted “stars” of the sport, but they come to us to partner as they believe in our mission. We have always partnered with USA Cycling to develop riders for the US national team. In addition, we focus greatly on the Olympics, which we have found to be the great “leveler” between female and male athletes. “Equality” between the two genders isn’t a driving motivator for me, although it would be a nice end-game. Truly, my vision is just to make professional sport a viable option for woman. As it stands currently, a professional female athlete can rarely support themselves on their sport alone.
Who or what has been an inspiration to you in your life?
One of my biggest inspirations has been my father. He saw the athlete in me at a very young age and encouraged my growth and performance in sport. As a teen soccer player, he coached me for years and single-handedly created the first “select” competitive soccer team in my region. He encouraged me to continue to play in College and supported my venue into the cycling world. He continues to support (for the past decade) the TWENTY16 team, believing strongly in our mission.
Your favorite things to do when not working?
1. Being a mom of two boys, ages 9 and 12
2. Riding my bike
3. Coaching cycling at the high school level
4. Promoting cycling for women at a national level
5. Cooking and enjoying the simple things in life
Favorite Foods:
1. Cheese
2. Cheese
3. Cheese
4. Filet Mignon
5. Cheese
Top 10 playlist
1. Something for Nothing, Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters
2. Just Breathe, Eddie Vedder
3. Mantra, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme
4. Anything by Prince
5. 31 Flavors, Ani Di Franco
6. Lebanese Blonde, Thievery Corporation
7. What it’s like, Everlast
8. Bullet and a Target, Citizen Cope
9. Glory and Consequence, Ben Harper
10. Ocean, John Butler Trio