Putting My Values to Work Every Day

Article published in Fall 2021 PACESETTER

Julie Hertzog wasn’t really looking for a new job, but the newspaper ad for a position at PACER Center caught her attention. “It said, ‘Parents of children with disabilities are encouraged to apply,’” she recalled.

At the time, Julie and her husband Jim, were the parents of a typical preschool daughter, Laura, and a toddler, David, who was born with Down Syndrome and serious medical issues. (Daughter Grace was born later). When David was born, “His odds of survival were not good. We didn’t focus on David’s disability as our priority was his health. He underwent a number of heart surgeries as an infant, and there were many health scares. For three years, David fought to live and as a family we were close by his side every step of the way.”

Julie had “a nice job” at the time, but she knew she had to apply to the PACER job. “I was so excited that PACER not only valued the voices of parents of children with disabilities but sought out their involvement. I realized that I wanted a job where not only my talents and skills were important, but where I could work for my values every day: that I could bring my life experiences to the table, that they mattered and were important,” she said.

Julie started her new job as PACER’s publications coordinator in January of 2000. “PACER has hundreds of publications and does all writing and design in house,” she said. She found time, though, to take on other responsibilities. Julie became the hiring coordinator, and she discovered a talent for research and developing curricula.

As David approached school age, Julie thought about what his future might look like. She wanted a way for him to be socially connected to his typical peers. “I believed there would be less chance of David being bullied if his classmates knew him,” she reasoned. Julie asked Paula Goldberg if she could write a curriculum for parents about what to do if their child with disabilities was being bullied. “I was so grateful when Paula agreed,” Julie said. The result was a national curriculum outlining parent and student (self) advocacy, along with an overview of laws and rights.”

As Julie worked on the curriculum, she discovered that there were very few bullying prevention resources available online. Combined with calls PACER was receiving about the issue, the curriculum planted a seed that grew into PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, which provides resources to students, parents, educators, and community members. Julie coordinated the program along with her other work. "I was surprised, but also excited and ready when Paula said, ‘We are going to create a national program.’ Paula thinks big and dreams big, and she found funding for our first website, Kids Against Bullying, which we created with the help and input of a group of elementary school students.”

Today, Julie is the director of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center (NBPC), which hosts three cutting edge, interactive websites: PACER.org/bullying, for parents and professionals; PACERteensagainstbullying.org; and PACERkidsagainstbullying.org. Julie and her staff can point to amazing achievements, including the nationwide observance of National Bullying Prevention Month, which PACER founded; trips to the White House; high-profile corporate and media partnerships; an award from the Director of the FBI; stories in national media, and the support of celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres.

Most importantly, though, NBPC’s work has led to a seismic shift in attitudes about bullying and the harm it causes. “People are much less likely to view bullying as a ‘childhood rite of passage’ and more likely to address bullying behavior head on,” Julie said.

The NBPC itself has impacted how society views the issue of bullying. “We have led with certain values that are still important in our work today. We don’t use ‘anti-bullying’: – instead, we say ‘bullying prevention’ because we want to prevent bullying before it starts by encouraging kindness, acceptance, and inclusion,” Julie said. We avoid labeling. Kids who bully are first and foremost kids, we focus on behavior, using terms such as “students who exhibit bullying behavior.” Behavior can be changed. And kids who are bullied aren’t victims, they’re targets – which means they can help change what is happening, and they can self-advocate.

She is not one to focus on accomplishments or point to past achievements. “I tend not to look at the past,” Julie said. “I’m always looking forward at new ways to strengthen our project and create productive bullying prevention education. I’m energized by what still needs to be done and the impact we can make.”

When Julie started work at PACER, her son David was three years old. Today, David, who inspired much of her work, is 25 years old. “He is very loved! He has a charming sense of humor. David’s so much fun – everyone wants to be around him. He is the person who binds our family together. "When he was born, our wish for him was to have a good life, reflecting today, I would say he has a great life."