Summary: An interview with one of the Nations leading Relationship Educators, Julie Baumgardner shares her views of whether corporate America should be investing in relationship education for employees. The answers she gives are very eye-opening for CEO's and employees alike. Julie Baumgardner is the President and Executive Director of First Things First,a one of a kind, grassroots organization dedicated to strengthening families in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The success of the FTF initiative has sparked interest in duplicating the FTF model in cities across the country. Mrs. Baumgardner, along with the First Things First team have provided technical assistance to hundreds of communities nationwide in their community initiative model. Mrs. Baumgardner has worked in the fields of marketing and counseling for more than 20 years. Prior to joining First Things First, she was the regional marketing manager for a group of hospitals. She has also worked as a social worker and program director for the child & adolescent program at Valley Psychiatric Hospital. As a passionate advocate for healthy marriage and family, Mrs. Baumgardner frequently speaks on these issues both locally and nationally. In addition to her weekly column on family issues in the Chattanooga Times-Free Press that reaches thousands, she also hosts a monthly talk show on public television discussing topics relevant to marriage and family. She was invited by President and Mrs. Bush to speak at the White House Conference on Helping America’s Youth, has testified in front of a senate subcommittee about the benefits of marriage for Senator Rick Santorum and currently serves on the steering committee for the Marriage Co-Mission, which is a group of people working in conjunction with many in the marriage movement to help provide resources and information to communities across the country interested in starting community healthy marriage initiatives. Mrs. Baumgardner has presented for the Philanthropy Roundtable and First Things First was featured on the front cover of their magazine. She served as co-chair of the County Mayor’s Parent Involvement Task Force and provided leadership in the implementation of the Hamilton County Schools Character Education Program. Mrs. Baumgardner’s leadership extends into many organizations in her community and across the country including: the Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education National advisory board, the Mayor’s Faith-based and Community Partnerships advisory board, the Chattanooga Association for the Education of Young Children board, chairing the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Chattanooga curriculum committee and assisting other not for profit organizations in board development, fund development, coalition building, and strategic planning. Mrs. Baumgardner has been honored with the Smart Marriages Impact Award, the Frist Humanitarian Award, the Chattanooga Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award and the Forty Under Forty Community Service Award in addition to being recognized as a Woman of Distinction by the American Lung Association.
