Nature At The Confluence hires full-time director

Julie Uram has been hired to lead Nature at the Confluence as its first full-time executive director. She begins her role on April 11.

Nature at the Confluence is located at 306 Dickop Street in South Beloit, IL on about 80 acres surrounded by the Rock River, Turtle Creek and Kelly Creek. The campus offers a 5-acre prairie restoration, trails, learning gardens, pollinator gardens. The center holds programs throughout the year for all ages and interests, such as Guided Earthwalk or Earth Day Walkabout. Programs often have limited slots.

Therese Oldenburg, who has been the part-time director since the nature center opened in 2017, will continue assisting the non-profit organization with program development, education, and stewardship. With the hiring of a full-time director, the organization has goals to increase programming offered to schools and the public and expand the hours the center is open.

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Julie was born and raised in Rockford, IL and became passionate about helping her community connect with nature while serving as the 815 Outside AmeriCorps member at Severson Dells Nature Center until last December. She also spent time assisting the Community Science programs in partnership with the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County. Most recently she worked as the Communications and Development Manager at Angelic Organics Learning Center where she coordinated fundraising and marketing efforts.

Julie earned a double degree in Environmental Sustainability and Sociology at Drake University, where she also completed a Master of Arts in Communication focused in Public Affairs and Advocacy. She studied tropical ecology in Panama for a semester.

In her spare time, besides walking and biking, she has been part of the Rock River Valley YMCA Rays Swim Team and the Rockford YMCA Rowing Crew.