Julie Magers

Activism – I began my activist/advocacy calling in life at the ripe age of eight. I’d heard a news story about dolphins being killed in the tuna industry and I couldn’t bear the thought of averting my attention from the issue and doing nothing. I immediately busied myself with writing letters, making phone calls, and designing posters to get the word out, encouraging people to get involved in demanding changes to the fishing practices. And I was supported and encouraged each step of the way.

I believe it is critically important to be supported when we are acting on behalf of social change and raising our voices about that which is unacceptable, that which can be done in a better way – this is what attracted me to The Archimedes Movement, We Can Do Better. The training, support, motivating, and galvanizing of forces to improve the way we approach health care is all making a difference.

Health and Environment – I launched my formal career with a degree in Environmental Science and Education at a time when there was not a clear career path in the environmental field. Soon after, the field burst open and attention to environmental issues became paramount to health-related risks. I knew on a deep level that restoring and preserving healthy ecosystems was directly related to human health and I answered a calling to develop educational programs for school children that would motivate the larger community to collaborate with them within their own communities.

Personal Passions – I’ve been privileged to raise two amazing kids, my daughter Riley and son Jacob. They’ve inherited (by nature and nurture) the knowing that they can accomplish huge things with a little bit of strategy and a lot of perseverance. I also have the good fortune to teach young children the art and discipline of karate at a school where I hold rank of second degree black belt.

Vision – When I heard Governor Kitzhaber in a public presentation on health reform that there are no insurance billing codes for health improvement, cure or prevention, I thought, “we must change that.” The vision I hold that of a system where the needs of the person using the system (in sickness and in health) come first and the business model is built to benefit from positive patient outcomes and a better patient experience. The health business thrives when the people thrive and health is rewarded on all levels.