Who We Work With

“The world is run by those who show up,
stand up and speak up.”

– Julie Jakopic

Who We Work With

“The world is run by those who show up,
stand up and speak up.”

– Julie Jakopic

iLead Strategies works with people and organizations in the business of service. Executives, organizers, public officials, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, lawyers, creatives and more turn to iLead Strategies to get from idea to impact, to do good, do well and frankly, have fun in the process. Here are some of the organizations we’ve helped:

Check Out Some of Our Clients

Community Action Agencies

State Community Action Associations

What They Say

We admit it. We love raving about our clients. So when we get a rave review in return, we like to share it.

I’ve seen Julie work in a variety of settings: speaker, coach, facilitator, team builder. Her integrity and authenticity infuse everything that she does. She is creative, strategic and resourceful at getting to the core of an issue and helping me take action within my values to achieve results. She listens well and then analyzes; she couples deep commitment and powerful questions to support you in moving beyond the box to innovative solutions.

Rob Krupicka

Owner / Managing Member at Orange Kru LLC / Sugar Shack Donuts / Former State Delegate

Working with Julie has been a fantastic experience. She is a superb leadership and executive coach and mentor, brimming with insight, creativity and encouragement. I have enjoyed every minute of working with her as a career coach and I recommend her very highly. I am grateful for her advice and also for her ability to harness my own ability to recognize my own potential. Thank you, Julie!

Peg Willingham

Head of Advocacy and Policy, HarvestPlus

I have had to balance being a legislator, candidate for office, and business manager. Working with Julie has proven invaluable. I love that I always walk away from my time with her with a clear plan of action, and an understanding of how to execute the plan. She has been an effective advisor as I have found the balance which so many struggle to achieve.

Charniele Herring

Delegate, Virginia House of Delegates

Scroll through below for what others have to say…

Debra R. Collins

I want to thank iLead Strategies on behalf of all of us at the Department of Human Services for the positive energy your team’s presentation infused in our All-Staff Retreat this year. The staff genuinely enjoyed the day and you all helped set a relaxing and enthusiastic vibe that benefited all of us. It was a pleasure working with you!

Debra R. Collins

Assistant City Manager, Community and Human Services, City of Alexandria

Susan Lowell Butler

Julie has been exceptionally helpful to the DC Cancer Consortium in facilitating our work with grantees, and in working through the complex planning cycle of a multi-million dollar organization that is growing and changing.

Susan Lowell Butler

Executive Director, DC Cancer Consortium

Terry A. Bearden

We were thrilled when Julie came to Arkansas to provide training for the CAA staff. Her presentations were both challenging and inspiring. Following a heavily policy-oriented and toolkit-building first day, Julie concluded our statewide Results-Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) training session with a day full of motivational and thought-provoking activities, allowing participants to leave reinvigorated and with a sense of the value of the work they do.

Terry A. Bearden

ROMA Coordinator, Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association

Don Mathis

Ms. Jakopic epitomizes excellence as a consultant and analytic strategist. She always is well-informed and well-prepared for high-pressure challenges. She provided high-quality, forward looking assistance to my senior executive team in designing and implementing major initiatives.

Her skills as a plenary session keynote speaker, trainer with large and small groups and as a workshop leader for day-long/multi-day intensive sessions are first rate. She understands and is sensitive to the needs of the groups she works with. She consistently inspires her audiences and she has a kind, gentle sense of humor. The CAP nationwide membership of nearly 1,000 nonprofit, municipal, and statewide anti-poverty repeatedly requested Julie as a trainer and speaker.

Don Mathis

Executive Director, Community Action Parnership

Dennis Parker

I have spent the bulk of my career helping other professionals shape their career through thoughtful strategic planning. Until I started working with iLead Strategies, I’d done very little to develop my own vision. With Julie and her team’s expert guidance, I’ve been able to organize my thoughts and develop a tangible action plan.

Dennis Parker

CEO, Carieton and Associates, A Human Services Policy Company, COO, HOPE a Full Scale Family and Children Services Organization

Pat Gordon

You were wonderful! The participants loved working with you! You had them engaged the entire time (in a room that was either too hot or too cold). I may have been behind the scenes and often out of sight, but I was listening and observing and when they came out of that program this afternoon, they were all beaming. Many of those participants have never attended a leadership program and some of them come from countries where there are no opportunities for women to participate in leadership training,  so this was an exciting opportunity for them and I’m sure that they gained some confidence and courage about their own ability to lead, in the future. Thank you again for sharing your extensive experiences and your advice. The program was a huge success and you played such an important role in this!

Pat Gordon

Leadership Development Coordinator, Northern Virginia Community

Joe Valenti

A phenomenal mentor and coach, Julie brings a deep understanding of both the nonprofit world and all levels of government. She is a creative thinker and strong communicator who can insightfully assess a problem with fresh eyes and deliver constructive, engaging solutions for her clients.

Joe Valenti

Director of Consumer Finance at Center for American Progress

Dara Schumaier

Julie provided training and staff development exercises for the City of Alexandria Department of Human Services’ staff retreat. We appreciated her energy and staff responded positively to Julie’s outgoing and personable style.

Dara Schumaier

Communications Specialist, DTI Office of Change Management

Sarah S. Pearson

Julie is a thoughtful coach who brings a balance of professionalism and friendship to coaching. She knows how to ask the questions that lead me to explore and expand on my existing knowledge and skills.

Sarah S. Pearson

Subject Matter Expert at Tribal Tech, LLC

Danielle Prendergast

Julie’s coaching style is very intuitive. Working with her was an empowering experience that provided me with the tools and support to claim my purpose and create a plan to live it.

Danielle Prendergast, Ph.D.

Education Entrepreneur + Advocate

Please be aware:

Testimonials on this site are actually recieved via text, audio or video submission. They are individual experiences reflecting real life experience of those who have used our services in some way. However they are individual results which do vary. The testimonials and examples used are exceptional results, don’t apply to the average client and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results. Each individual and organization are unique and will have unique experiences. The testimonials displayed as text, audio or video, are given verbatim except for correction of grammatical or typing errors. All are used with permission. Some have been shortened when they were long or included information not intended for the general public.