Concord Gives Back is our philanthropic program focused on supporting nonprofit organizations that hold a special meaning to our employees. Each quarter, Concord reviews nominations and selects a recipient for a financial donation.
This quarter, Concord honored Julie Huber's chosen philanthropic organization, Growing Through Grief.
Growing Through Grief offers intensive, in-school support to elementary, middle and high school students coping with the death of a loved one. More than 80% of participants said the Park Nicollet program helped them concentrate in class. In addition, 95% or more said they improved their knowledge of grief, gained better coping skills and would refer a friend to the program.
Learn about Julie Huber, Talent Operations Specialist, and her connection to Growing Through Grief below!
What is your role at Concord?
I am a Talent Operations Specialist.
Can you give a summary of your background?
I worked in financial services (HR & Treasury Management roles) prior to having kids. I was fortunate to be a full-time mom for about a decade and enjoyed doing freelance business writing when time permitted. I rejoined the workforce in 2015, managing a small music non-profit, and then switched back to for-profit when I joined Upton Hill in 2020. When Concord acquired Upton Hill, I moved into Talent Services and now enjoy working on process improvement projects and tech screens/interviews. I enjoy being an Ops person in organizations that value many types of subject matter expertise – consulting companies fit that need for me.
Why did you decide to join Concord?
Upton Hill was acquired by Concord and I decided to stick around because I really like the people.
What are some benefits of your role at Concord?
I have a very flexible working environment, and our Talent Services team is a close-knit group. Plus, I get to “meet” a lot of Concordians while scheduling tech screens/interviews – I know a lot of names and recognize a lot of people from their Microsoft Teams headshots!
How does Growing Through Grief align with your values, passions, and/or interests?
I joined Grown Through Grief's Advisory Board after benefitting from their in-school grief counseling program (free to participants/zero barriers to entry). My husband and I are guardians for two of our nieces who suffered severe trauma eight years ago, losing both their parents and grandmother to gun violence. Both girls joined grief groups in their respective schools, and I was very impressed with the quality of care they received. I reached out to the Program Director to volunteer and give back to the program. My board tenure is complete, and I now serve as an ambassador (e.g., writing advocacy letters for grant applications and supporting their growth efforts by speaking with various groups who either want to fund the program or implement their curriculum). The program is extremely well run. They are highly structured and passionate about helping children cope and move through grief after a traumatic event.
