Founder & CEO

Julie Kurtz, M.S., LMFT is a renowned author and national speaker specializing in trauma-responsive, social-emotional, and resilience-building skills, particularly within educational settings ranging from early childhood to 12th grade. As the Founder and CEO of the Center for Optimal Brain Integration®, Julie is dedicated to amplifying the voices of those who have experienced toxic or traumatic stress, empowering both children and adults, and nurturing humane beings through intentional social-emotional learning and resilience strategies.

Julie's expertise is further demonstrated through her leadership roles in programs that implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) through social-emotional and trauma-responsive practices. Her work has been instrumental in guiding educators, districts and organizations to create environments that reduce stress and promote optimal regulation.

In addition to her contributions to professional literature, Julie is the creative force behind an award-winning children's book. She also provides training and consultation on reducing stress, trauma-responsive practices and social-emotional skills. She also serves as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, offering therapeutic services to youth and their families throughout the Bay Area and California, as well as parent coaching nationwide.

Through her multifaceted work, Julie Kurtz continues to make a profound impact on the lives of children, educators, and communities, inspiring hope, healing, and resilience through trauma-responsive, social-emotional and resilience building practices.