Julie Taren holds a BA in Special and Elementary Education, a MA in Early Childhood Special Education, and a Master of Social Welfare (MSW).
Currently, Ms. Taren is a lecturer at California State University Los Angles in the Child and Family Studies Department and UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, Social Welfare Department. She is also a vendor with Westside Regional Center conducting intakes for the Early Start program and their Intake unit.
Prior, Julie was a Senior Administrative Analyst in the Human Services Division at the City of Santa Monica, where she was responsible for managing grants across Early Childhood and School-Based Mental Health. In this role, she brought the Early Development Instrument to Santa Monica and the launch of the Building Blocks for Kindergarten Campaign, along with acting as a liaison between city departments and divisions navigating the planning and permitting process for childcare facility development as well as other early childhood, school-age, and family initiatives. Furthermore, Julie staffed the Commission on the Status of Women when they produced a data report on the Status of Women and Girls in Santa Monica, identifying the positive trends and challenges facing women and girls in the city.
Active in many organizations, Julie has served as a board member in in leadership positions for the Infant Development Association of California, a member and past chair of the Los Angeles County Child Care Planning Committee, current co-chair of the Santa Monica Early Childhood Task Force, and on the Board of Directors for Mifne USA.
