National Football Foundation

A dedicated leader, Julie Work has brought exceptional energy and organizational skills to fulfilling the mission of the Mike Cleary/Northeast Ohio Chapter.
 
Work grew up in the Cleveland area, and she has been around athletics all her life. In high school, she distinguished herself as a top flight basketball player, and she became a four-year starter on the Baldwin Wallace College basketball team, including All-America honors in 1997-98. At the same time, Work earned a degree in sport management, and after graduation she landed her first position at the Ohio Athletic Conference as information director. In her new position, Work worked for OAC Executive Director Tim Gleason, who at the time served as the president of the NFF Northeastern Ohio Chapter, introducing her to the NFF and its mission of promoting the scholar-athlete ideal.
 
Work’s involvement with the chapter started in 2000, and she quickly became an integral part of the chapter’s leadership. In 2006, Work joined the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) as assistant executive director, working closely with Emeritus NFF Board Member and NACDA Executive Director Mike Cleary. Cleary took over as president of the Northeast Ohio Chapter, and Work began to administer all of the chapter’s activities. In 2011, the Northeastern Ohio Chapter was renamed the Mike Cleary/Northeast Ohio Chapter. The chapter currently recognizes 25 high school and 12 collegiate scholar-athletes each year and presents $30,000 in postgraduate scholarships.
 
“It is an honor to recognize deserving student-athletes annually for not only their efforts on the field but in the classroom,” said Work. “Seeing the joy on their faces when they walk into the room, sit on the dais and realize that the crowd of 600-plus is there to honor their achievements is priceless.”
 
With a robust agenda, the chapter also presents the Paul Brown High School Coach of Year Award, Ron Stoops Assistant Coach of the Year, Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach of the Year, Assistant College Coach of the Year, Dino Lucarelli Lifetime Achievement Award, an Inspiration Award, the Ohio Sportswriter Award and a Distinguished American Award.