Tom Tom Festival 2025

Julia Lapan has more than fifteen years of higher education experience in career services, employer relations, and alumni development. After earning a master’s degree in Counselor Education/Student Affairs from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, she served as a career advisor at Loyola College in Maryland and Johns Hopkins University. Her work with alumni and corporate partners led her into major gift fundraising for Johns Hopkins Engineering, where she spent three years building relationships and raising money for the school. In her role as Director for Engineering Career Development at the University of Virginia, Ms. Lapan and her team provide students with the knowledge and resources to find meaningful work through internships, full-time jobs and graduate school. She also collaborates with employers and corporate partners to facilitate connections with students and faculty. Ms. Lapan has lived in Silicon Valley and has worked with engineering professionals and leaders in internet technology, computer software, biotechnology, and other fields. In addition to her master’s in counseling, she also holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. An avid runner, Ms. Lapan competes in local road and trail races and teaches fitness classes in her spare time. She lives in Charlottesville with her husband, Sam, and their young daughter.