Julie Kolakowski Corn is an accomplished executive, transformational leader, and strategic visionary with more than 20 years of distinguished experience spanning national security, defense, intelligence, public safety, and government operations. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate complex organizational challenges, identify opportunities for meaningful change, and implement forward-thinking strategies that deliver lasting results. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that strong organizations are built through purposeful collaboration, innovation, accountability, and investment in people. With an impressive record of executive leadership at both federal and county government levels, Julie brings a rare combination of operational expertise, strategic intelligence, technological foresight, and people-centered leadership to organizations seeking sustainable growth and transformational impact.
Currently serving as Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Communications/911 for Onondaga County, New York, Julie oversees one of the region’s most critical public safety operations. In this executive capacity, she directs approximately 150 employees, manages an annual budget of approximately $20 million, and oversees an extensive emergency communications infrastructure supporting roughly 100 first responder agencies. Her responsibilities encompass emergency communications technology, operational readiness, personnel development, financial stewardship, and strategic partnerships across law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and mental health response organizations. Through her leadership, Julie has positioned the department as a forward-looking organization committed to modernizing emergency response capabilities while maintaining the highest standards of public service, operational excellence, and community trust.
A defining achievement of Julie’s tenure as Commissioner has been her leadership in advancing artificial intelligence and next-generation technology within the public safety ecosystem. Recognizing the transformative potential of emerging technologies, she spearheaded a modernization strategy to acquire a cloud-native emergency communications phone and AI system. Her vision extends beyond technological upgrades to fundamentally reimagining how emergency communications centers collect, analyze, and leverage information to improve public safety outcomes. By collaborating with technology providers, government executives, and interagency stakeholders, Julie has helped establish a foundation for more intelligent, integrated, and responsive emergency services. Her work reflects an understanding that responsible innovation requires not only technological advancement but also strategic planning, organizational readiness, and thoughtful implementation.
Beyond technological transformation, Julie has distinguished herself as a champion of workforce wellness, organizational development, and mental health advocacy. Under her leadership, Onondaga County’s 911 Center became the first in New York State to receive a CARES UP grant dedicated to supporting emergency communications personnel’s mental health. She also helped establish the center as the first in the state to formally integrate mental health response resources into its computer-aided dispatch system alongside traditional police, fire, and emergency medical services. These initiatives reflect her conviction that effective leadership must prioritize both operational performance and the well-being of the people responsible for delivering essential services. Her commitment to continuous improvement has also supported the department’s renewal of accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and training certification through the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials.
Before assuming her current executive position, Julie built an extensive career within the United States defense and intelligence communities, where she held progressively responsible leadership, management, and analytical positions. From 2016 to 2019, she served as Communications Chief within the National Security Agency’s Directorate of Operations, Information and Intelligence Analysis. In this role, she directed strategic communications initiatives supporting senior agency leadership, managed multidisciplinary teams, and oversaw the development of critical messaging and decision-support products for high-level government stakeholders. Her team produced sophisticated intelligence visualizations and strategic communications materials supporting the NSA Director, the White House, and national security customers. Her ability to translate complex intelligence information into clear, actionable insights earned the trust of senior executives and established her reputation as a valued strategic advisor.
Julie’s leadership experience at the National Security Agency extended well beyond communications. As Deputy Director of the Digital Network Exploitation Analyst Development Program, she played an instrumental role in supervising, mentoring, recruiting, and developing more than 60 emerging intelligence professionals. Earlier, as Division Chief within the Plans and Exercises Office, she led teams of civilian, military, and contractor personnel responsible for contingency planning and operational support across multiple geographic combatant commands and national security organizations. These positions strengthened her expertise in talent management, organizational development, crisis preparedness, and cross-functional collaboration. They also reinforced her ability to lead diverse teams, build consensus among stakeholders, and align organizational resources with demanding mission objectives.
Her earlier service with the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff further shaped her strategic perspective. As a Senior Intelligence Planner, Julie coordinated seven Department of Defense intelligence agencies and the Chairman’s Joint Staff in developing unified planning documents supporting military contingency operations. She also served as an intelligence liaison to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Crisis Management Team, contributing to coordinated planning and decision-making in high-pressure environments. Her experience as a political-military all-source analyst involved researching, developing, and publishing intelligence assessments for the White House and national security customers. These responsibilities cultivated her analytical discipline, understanding of geopolitical complexity, and ability to anticipate emerging challenges while developing practical, mission-focused solutions.
Julie’s professional journey began in geospatial intelligence and technology, where she developed the technical and analytical foundation that would later distinguish her executive leadership. At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Army Geospatial Center, she held positions as a cartographer, project lead, senior geospatial analyst, and project manager. She contributed to innovative geospatial visualization and modeling initiatives supporting military operations and national security objectives. Her work included crisis-response support during Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, demonstrating her ability to apply sophisticated analytical tools in situations requiring urgency, precision, and coordinated action. These formative experiences instilled an appreciation for the intersection of technology, intelligence, communication, and operational decision-making that continues to influence her leadership approach.
Recognized as an emerging thought leader on artificial intelligence and the future of public safety, Julie actively contributes to conversations shaping the next generation of emergency communications. She has participated in prominent industry conferences, executive panels, and professional webinars exploring the integration of AI, cloud-native technologies, and intelligence-driven public safety systems. Her speaking engagements include Axon Week 2026, where she presented on “Intelligence-Driven Public Safety: Reimagining the 911 Data Cycle,” and an Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International webinar addressing how cloud- and AI-native technology is transforming emergency communications. She has also contributed to discussions on implementing artificial intelligence in county government operations. Through these engagements, Julie brings a practical executive perspective to emerging technologies, emphasizing their potential to improve mission effectiveness, enhance decision-making, and strengthen public trust.
An accomplished writer and communicator, Julie has contributed insights to professional publications addressing executive leadership and the evolving role of emergency communications. Her featured perspectives include “911 Call Centers: The Intelligence Centers of the Future” in GovCIO Outlook and “Leadership Lessons from a New York 911 Center Commissioner” in GovLoop. Her communications expertise is rooted in years of developing strategic assessments, executive messaging, intelligence reports, and organizational plans for senior decision-makers. Whether presenting complex technological concepts, advising government leadership, or communicating organizational priorities, Julie demonstrates a consistent ability to connect strategic vision with clear, compelling narratives that inspire understanding and action.
Julie’s academic background further complements her extensive professional experience. She earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from National Intelligence College, where her graduate thesis examined cross-cultural communication between the United States and Russia and was nominated for recognition as the institution’s best historical thesis. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Mary Washington. Throughout her career, she has pursued professional development in leadership, strategic management, crisis communications, resource management, and organizational change. Her achievements have been recognized through numerous honors, including multiple National Security Agency performance awards, commendations from the Joint Staff, and the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Servant Leadership Award. These distinctions reflect her sustained commitment to excellence, service, and principled leadership. Julie was just accepted to Oxford’s Said Business School where she will work toward an Executive Diploma in Strategy and Innovation in 2027.
In addition to her government and executive accomplishments, Julie is a published children’s book author and passionate advocate for grief support and emotional well-being. Through JCornbooks, she authored SPOONS: A Family Story of Enduring Loss, a heartfelt children’s book exploring grief, hope, and the enduring connections of family. This creative endeavor represents another dimension of her commitment to helping others navigate difficult experiences with compassion, understanding, and resilience. Her dedication to mentorship and education is also reflected in her volunteer involvement with Syracuse University’s Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence, where she shared professional insights and career guidance with aspiring intelligence professionals. Outside her professional pursuits, Julie enjoys traveling, exploring food and wine, and following sports, reflecting her curiosity, appreciation for new experiences, and enthusiasm for connecting with people.
As she explores opportunities to serve on corporate boards and advisory committees, Julie is motivated by a genuine desire to give back, share her expertise, and make a positive impact on organizations and the communities they serve. Her professional background offers valuable perspectives for companies operating in public safety, defense, national security, healthcare, emerging technology, and other mission-driven sectors. She brings experience in executive decision-making, strategic transformation, operational oversight, workforce development, technology modernization, stakeholder engagement, and financial stewardship. Equally important, her cross-sector perspective enables her to evaluate challenges through the lenses of organizational effectiveness, risk awareness, innovation, and long-term sustainability. Although her career has been centered on government leadership rather than formal corporate board service, her executive responsibilities have prepared her to contribute informed judgment, thoughtful questions, and strategic insight in a governance or advisory setting.
At the heart of Julie’s professional identity is an unwavering commitment to making organizations stronger while creating meaningful opportunities for the people within them. She believes that successful leadership requires balancing strategic ambition with operational discipline, technological progress with human understanding, and organizational achievement with a responsibility to serve others. Her career reflects a consistent pattern of embracing complexity, leading through change, and building partnerships that translate ideas into measurable progress. As a prospective board member or strategic advisor, Julie Kolakowski Corn offers a distinctive combination of intelligence-community experience, public safety leadership, technological insight, and compassionate stewardship. She is poised to help organizations navigate uncertainty, embrace responsible innovation, strengthen their leadership capabilities, and pursue sustainable success with clarity, integrity, and purpose.
Character:
Julie exemplifies integrity, resilience, and service-oriented leadership through her commitment to public safety, workforce well-being, mentorship, and meaningful community impact. Her dedication to ethical decision-making, organizational accountability, and compassionate leadership reflects a professional philosophy centered on earning trust and creating lasting value for others.
Knowledge:
With more than two decades of leadership experience across defense, intelligence, national security, and emergency communications, Julie possesses a sophisticated understanding of complex operations, emerging technologies, and organizational transformation. Her expertise in artificial intelligence, strategic intelligence, personnel development, crisis management, and public-sector administration equips her to provide informed perspectives on challenges facing mission-driven organizations.
Strategic:
Julie demonstrates exceptional strategic foresight through her ability to anticipate organizational needs, identify innovation opportunities, and translate ambitious objectives into actionable initiatives. Her leadership in emergency communications modernization, multiagency intelligence planning, and executive-level resource management highlights her capacity to balance immediate operational demands with long-term organizational priorities.
Communication:
An accomplished communicator who excels at translating complex information into persuasive narratives, practical recommendations, and clear strategic direction for diverse audiences. Her experience advising senior national security leaders, presenting at industry conferences, publishing professional insights, and building cross-functional partnerships underscores her ability to foster understanding, strengthen relationships, and inspire collaborative action.
