Originally from shaky Christchurch, Julia moved to Wellington in 2004 to finish her medical training. On graduating she worked initially in Wellington, and then in Sydney for two years, before returning to Wellington. Julia completed her Diploma in Child Health before embarking on the GP training course in 2011. She is a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.

When not working, Julia loves getting outdoors to hike, cycle and swim.