Julie Verdugo
About Julie Verdugo
Julie Verdugo serves as the Director of Sustainability and Social Impact for Urban Outfitters and Free People, focusing on developing strategies that align sustainability with business goals. With a background in engineering and business, she has held various roles in sustainability and marketing across notable companies.
Work at URBN
Julie Verdugo currently serves as the Director of Sustainability + Social Impact for Urban Outfitters and Free People, a role she has held since 2021. Prior to this position, she worked as the Associate Director of Partnerships, Experiential, & Social Impact at Free People from 2017 to 2019. In her current role, she develops strategies and execution plans in sustainability and social impact that align with the company's core values and business goals. She has been instrumental in creating Free People's first sustainability hub, CARE FP, which emphasizes circularity, SDG strategy alignment, and social impact partnerships.
Education and Expertise
Julie Verdugo earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, completing her studies from 2002 to 2006. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from IESE Business School between 2010 and 2012. In 2019, she completed a Certificate in Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School Online. Her educational background provides her with a solid foundation in both engineering principles and business management, particularly in sustainability.
Background
Julie Verdugo has a diverse professional background that spans various roles in sustainability, marketing, and business development. She began her career at GKN as part of the International Leadership Development Programme from 2006 to 2009. Following this, she held positions at adidas, including the MBA Business Management Program and later as Sr. Manager of Marketing & Business Development for the Fashion Group Americas. She also worked at Nest as Director of Fellowships and co-founded Gemela Design, LLC, where she served as Co-Owner from 2009 to 2018.
Achievements
Throughout her career, Julie Verdugo has made significant contributions to sustainability and social impact initiatives. At Free People, she created the brand's first sustainability hub, CARE FP, which focuses on circularity and social impact partnerships. Her work involves developing comprehensive strategies that drive impact across the supply chain and brand partnerships. Julie's experience in various leadership roles has equipped her with the skills necessary to influence sustainable practices within the fashion industry.