Julie Kay Roberts
Julie Kay Roberts joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the Director of Communications in August 2017. In her role, she is responsible for communicating the work of the Agency which stretches from the ocean floor to the surface of the sun. With more than twenty years of experience in the communication and emergency management fields, her experience was immediately valuable upon joining NOAA as catastrophic hurricanes and wildfires impacted the United States.
Julie has spent much of her career based in Tallahassee, Florida, including seven years as owner of the communications firm, JKR Consulting, specializing in public relations, event management, and non-profit communication. She also spent four years with the Florida Division of Emergency Management as External Affairs Director. In that role, she managed the team responsible for the public image of the Division including the social media and the public education and outreach program. In addition to her duties as the External Affairs Director, she served as the private sector coordinator, statewide disability coordinator, legislative and intergovernmental director, and communication director. During her tenure, Julie developed a comprehensive public outreach campaign including the Kids Get a Plan educational program, identified partnerships with sports programs around the state, organized two public-private sector summits, and led the private sector during multiple activations of the State Emergency Response Team.
Prior to moving to Tallahassee, Julie spent four years as a political appointee for President George W. Bush’s Administration in Washington, DC, serving in four departments. Her first appointment was in the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as scheduler for Director Joe Allbaugh. In 2001, Julie transitioned to the U.S. Department of Labor where she was Special Assistant to the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration and later as Deputy Director of Scheduling for Secretary Elaine Chao.
As the Special Assistant to Grant Aldonas, Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Julie managed the Partnership for Prosperity Summit, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Ministerial in Miami and the manufacturing tour throughout the Midwest. After completing the FTAA Ministerial, Julie was selected by the U.S. Department of State to serve as the Special Assistant to Clifford M. Sobel, U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands.
A native of Marshall, Texas, Julie holds a Certificate in Emergency Management from the International Association of Emergency Managers and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Political Science from East Texas Baptist University.
