A Proven Leader for North Phoenix
Julie Read is a fourth-generation Arizonan, a former special education teacher, a small business owner, and one of north Phoenix’s most dedicated community advocates. She’s running for Phoenix City Council in District 2 to continue doing what she’s done for years—deliver real results for families, neighborhoods, and local schools.
An Advocate for Families and Schools
Julie served from 2018 to 2022 on the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board, where she prioritized lowering class sizes, raising teacher pay, and expanding access to innovative programs. A graduate of Grand Canyon University with a degree in Elementary and Special Education, Julie taught special education in the Paradise Valley School District and has always believed in the power of public education to transform lives.
As a mother of four kids—three of whom still attend DVUSD schools—Julie has spent years stepping up to support students and educators. She organized a district-wide food drive during the 2018 Red for Ed campaign, assembling and distributing more than 3,500 meals to ensure no student went hungry. She continues to lead holiday food and clothing drives, support local booster clubs, and even teach ESL classes for parents—always focused on strengthening the community through its schools.
A Champion For Public Safety
As the wife of an East Valley firefighter, Julie has a deep, personal understanding of the risks and needs facing first responders—and she has fought hard to support them.
In 2018, Julie played a leading role in the successful advocacy campaign that brought Phoenix Fire Station 55 to life in the rapidly growing Norterra area. She organized residents, built consensus, and worked alongside city leaders to secure the new fire station and improve emergency response times across District 2. Today, Engine 55 is on duty around the clock, and our community is safer for it.
Julie has also partnered closely with Phoenix Police to address growing safety concerns, particularly along 27th Avenue and Loop 101, and has championed practical, community-based solutions for improving public safety throughout north Phoenix.
Grassroots Leadership That Drives Change
Julie’s civic advocacy took off in 2016 when she helped stop the Arizona Department of Corrections from placing homeless sex offenders in a north Phoenix reentry center without notifying the public.
As co-founder of BlockWatch Phoenix North, Julie organized 6,500 residents, lobbied state officials, and successfully advocated for three bipartisan laws that:
Required electronic notification to neighbors when sex offenders relocate
Mandated advance public notice for changes to correctional facility use
Established boundaries and accountability for state reentry centers
Julie’s respectful, solution-driven approach earned praise from state leaders—and achieved real results for our community.
Julie has continued to shape state policy through her service on the Governor’s Opioid Task Force and the Juvenile Justice Ad Hoc Committee. Locally, she serves on the North Gateway Village Planning Committee and the City of Phoenix Planning Commission. She’s worked hard to balance economic development and create quality jobs through projects like TSMC, driven by her passion for thoughtful growth and community-centered planning. Julie’s efforts have helped our economy thrive while protecting the character and livability of North Phoenix as our community continues to grow.
Connector, Entrepreneur, and Community Builder
Julie is the co-founder of Parties for Purpose, a nonprofit that throws birthday celebrations for children in need. She leads the North Phoenix Community Angel Tree Project, ensuring holiday gifts for hundreds of DVUSD students, and has supported events like Superhero September and fundraisers for fallen officers—most notably organizing a drive-thru event with PLEA and Chick-fil-A Deer Valley to honor Commander Greg Carnicle during the COVID shutdown.
A former board member and education coordinator for the Arizona Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Julie is a connector and bridge-builder with a broad network across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Professionally, she is the Chief Marketing Officer for Chick-fil-A Deer Valley and Norterra, a founding board member of The Friends of Deer Valley, and a graduate of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce’s Industry Fellows program.
Ready to Serve Phoenix District 2
Julie Read isn’t a career politician—she’s a wife, a mother, an educator, a nonprofit founder, a marketing executive, and a problem-solver who has dedicated her life to building stronger communities and safer neighborhoods.
Whether she’s securing a fire station, leading a school board, or fighting to protect families at the State Capitol, Julie brings energy, empathy, and effectiveness to everything she does.
