Julie McConnell (click for Bio)

Director of Special Projects

Julie McConnell is Director of Special Projects at Early Learning NH.  

Julie  has been working in and around early childhood programs for over thirty years. Having started out as a Director of a non-profit child care center in Laconia, Julie went on to work as the state Child Care Administrator at the NH Department of Health and Human Services before joining the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund to manage their Child Care and Nonprofit Loan Programs. Julie is a past Co-Chair of the NH Child Care Advisory Council, and was part of a statewide effort to create what is now Early Learning NH.

Now in semi-retirement, Julie is continuing to apply her passion to support access to quality and affordable early learning programs for NH families in her work as Director of Special Projects for Early Learning NH, and through continued work with the Community Loan Fund. Julie is equally committed to advocating for public policy changes that can strengthen early learning programs in New Hampshire and bring increased resources and systemic improvements.  Julie obtained a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts/Boston and holds a master of public administration from the University of New Hampshire.  Julie is a 2012 graduate of Leadership NH.

Julie is a proud Early Learning Champion recipient and was also recognized by Early Learning NH with the creation of the "Julie McConnell Innovative Leader" award in 2019. Julie was also honored to be the first recipient of the NH Women's Foundation "SHE Change Award" in 2017, for her Business of Child Care work with the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.

Julie lives in Gilford where she raised two sons to appreciate all that the Lakes Region of NH has to offer, and she now enjoys traveling to visit them in Oregon and parts unknown as they choose adult careers and adventures in the world.