Julia Novy-Hildesley joined the Lemelson Foundation as Executive Director in 2002.

Prior to joining the Lemelson Foundation, Julia was founding Director of the World Wildlife Fund’s Pacific Office, where she designed market based solutions to environmental challenges and led public outreach efforts.

A Fulbright and Marshall Scholar, Julia has lectured at Stanford University in the Law School, and the Earth Sciences, Anthropology and Human Biology departments. She has conducted research and lived in Madagascar, Tanzania, Bolivia, French Polynesia and other developing countries and consulted for a range of governmental organizations, including the World Bank, USAID and the U.K. Department for International Development.

Julia earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from Stanford University with a Minor in African Studies and a Master of Philosophy degree in International Development from the Institute for Development Studies at Sussex University.

She serves on several boards, including the Board of the World Affairs Council of Oregon, the Editorial Board of MIT’s Innovations Journal, and the Advisory Council of the Engineering and Technology Management Department at Portland State University. Julia was also recognized as a distinguished Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2010 and is currently serving as a Topic Leader for the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in 2010. Julia speaks French, Spanish and Kiswahili.