JULIE COONS

About 10 years ago, Julie Coons took up quilting, which, in addition to providing the necessary benefits of any hobby, also offered some surprising parallels to her professional life. “Quilting involves seeing patterns and requires problem-solving in putting the pieces together,” she says. “It draws on the same skills I bring to work.”

Work for Coons has been leading the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce since 2018. In that time, she’s prioritized increasing the diversity of the chamber’s board, membership and speakers. But there’s still more work to be done ensuring that Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C., metro area remain a business-friendly environment, she says.

“We work on issues that span the entire region, with an eye on growth,” Coons says. One such example? Advocating for reform of the Metro transit system that’s critical for getting employees to and from work.

Since Coons moved to the region in the mid-1980s, she’s watched its evolution from being largely a “company town” to a complex, business-driven environment. “It is a much more diversified business center than ever before.”

Next year, the chamber will celebrate its 100-year anniversary, a milestone that will usher in a next phase defined by “substantial growth,” Coons says. While challenges remain that require more attention and support, Coons is confident the chamber and its members are up for the task, due to their mutual commitment to improving their community. “It’s incredibly inspiring.”

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