Julie Anne Friend has worked in the field of international education for over 20 years. She is currently the Director of Global Safety and Security at Northwestern University (NU), where she is charged with developing a comprehensive, institutional-wide approach to risk management for the entire institutions' overseas operations and activities. Her scholarship and advocacy related to institutional travel policies and U.S. State Department Travel Warnings contributed to the development of standards in the field. Ms. Friend has traveled in over twenty-five countries and has lived in both France and Zambia She has a Juris Doctor in Law and a Master of Arts in English from Michigan State University as well as a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communication from Syracuse University. She is also a licensed attorney in the state of Michigan.