Julie A. Reilly received a BA, Magna cum Laude, in Anthropology from Towson State University with minors in Art and Mathematics and an MA in Anthropology from George Washington University concentrating in Ethnographic and Archeological Conservation and Applied Science. She completed a pre-program internship at the Baltimore Museum of Art and a post graduate internship at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum.
Julie has worked as objects conservator for the Smithsonian’s American History Museum; the NPS Applied Archeology Center; the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; and the Winterthur Museum and Gardens. She served as Adjunct Associate Professor for the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation and Adjunct Professor for the Museum Studies Department, University of Nebraska. She was Associate Director for the Nebraska State Historical Society for fourteen years where she served as Chief Conservator and founding director of the regional Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center. Reilly served as Development Director for KANEKO, a nonprofit that explores and encourages human creativity in all its facets; Executive Director of the Joslyn Castle, an urban historic mansion with over 5 acres of gardens and grounds; Executive Director of Omaha by Design, an urban design and policy nonprofit; and Executive Director of the Intermuseum Conservation Association and the Williamstown+Atlanta Art Conservation Center.
Reilly is a consultant; has spoken and published widely. She is coauthor of Preventive Conservation for Historic House Museums, an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, and a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation. She has served as a member of the AIC Collections Care Professional Task Force; was a Peer Professional for the General Services Administration’s Building Services Excellence in Architecture Program; and served for many years on the Board of Heritage Preservation. She has helped found a 20th century architecture preservation group, an annual historic preservation conference, and has served on several nonprofit boards. Julie grew up and traveled overseas for over fourteen years as the daughter of a State Department officer, living in Korea, Thailand, Afghanistan, and Kenya.