Julia was appointed as the first woman president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee in December 2002. The GMC convenes and collaborates with other organizations and groups in the community on an issue-by-issue basis and leads by initiating projects and implementing strategies. The GMC membership is comprised of 200 CEOs and leaders in various sectors including business, labor, academic, philanthropy and nonprofit. She retired from the GMC in 2022. Julia was a founding member of the Water Council.
Before coming to the GMC, Julia was president of the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee for 16 years. She currently serves on the boards of Milwaukee Film and is Treasurer of the City as Living Laboratory National Board in New York City, New York.. She co-chairs the Watermarks Advisory Committee in Milwaukee, and the B-Line Park on the Beerline Trail Connecting Communities capital campaign. She was recently appointed to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District Commission.
Julia maintains an active art practice through Julia Taylor Watercolor LLC. She teaches watercolor lessons and exhibits frequently.
