by Rayna Clarke, Account Manager, Lautman Maska Neill & Company
When family and friends ask Julia Warnock how she likes her job as an Account Executive at Lautman Maska Neill & Company, she always tells them: “It feels good to do good!”
Julia counts herself lucky that she grew up around people who encouraged her to dedicate her time to causes she cared about — from weekends volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House in her home state of Maine, to her support today of local D.C. nonprofit S.O.M.E. (So Others Might Eat).
Though the progression from years of volunteering to a career working with nonprofits might seem clear cut, Julia says, “My path into the direct response world was admittedly a bit random! In 2021, I was seeking new job opportunities and came across a listing for a Junior Account Executive role at Lautman. Two and a half years later, I am still at Lautman and couldn’t be happier.”
Now an Account Executive, Julia supports integrated fundraising campaigns for the ACLU, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Parkinson’s Foundation, Telecom Pioneers, and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. In January, she spoke on a career panel for the DMAW Education Foundation’s Professors Institute.
Marie Kosanovich, Vice President, Accounts at Lautman, can’t say enough good things about Julia: “She really is just so excellent at what she does. Julia is proactive and independent, her clients love her, and she never seems to be rattled or let things get to her.”
No matter how unflappable she may seem, Julia admits to feeling nerves every once in a while — like her first time presenting on campaign performance for a client. “I had practiced extensively with a colleague, but I was so nervous going into the meeting! Afterward, the positive feedback I received gave me the confidence to talk about results moving forward.”
Julia is enthusiastic about helping other young professionals dive into direct response and joined Lautman’s welcome committee in January 2022. She tells new members of the team: “Take your work one day at a time! With multiple campaigns moving forward at once, each with many different deadlines and requirements, you have to be flexible.”
Julia also credits networking and professional development events for helping her grow into her role: “From attending DM 101 to industry happy hours to the Bridge Conference, it’s been wonderful to learn from others about their experience in direct marketing and hear advice about how I can succeed in the industry. I love seeing familiar faces at every event!”
In addition, she cites her constant friendliness as a huge factor in succeeding in direct response fundraising — from effective communication to building strong relationships with her nonprofit clients.
If you see Julia at an upcoming DMFA or other industry event, make sure to say hello — though given how outgoing she is, she’ll probably beat you to it.
