Julia R Brown, an executive from the life science industry, is a member of the Board of Directors of
Targacept, Inc., Labopharm, Inc., and MediQuest Therapeutics, Inc. She previously served on boards of Trius Therapeutics, Inc., Tanox, Inc. and CovX.
Julia is a member of National Association of Corporate Directors. She is on the board of the
Corporate Directors Forum in San Diego and serves on its program committee. She is a member of the board of CONNECT, an organization that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship and the formation of new companies, and serves on its public policy committee. Julia is a member of the
CleanTECH San Diego Board. In addition, she serves on the board and the executive committee of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.
From 2000-2003, Julia was Executive Vice President of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and served as Advisor to the CEO until 2008. Prior to joining Amylin, Julia was Executive Vice President of
Dura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Julia spent over 25 years with Eli Lilly and Company in progressively more senior roles. From 1992-1994, Julia was Vice President of IVAC Corporation and General
Manager of its Vital Signs Division (a Lilly subsidiary). She was Vice President of Worldwide
Marketing for Hybritech (another Lilly subsidiary), and led global marketing from1986-1992.
In 2010, Julia received CONNECT’s award for “Distinguished Contribution to the Life Science
Industry”. She was a winner of the San Diego Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” award in 2006. In 2005, the Imperial Council Girl Scouts named Julia one of San Diego’s ten
“Coolest Women.” Julia has twice been honored in San Diego’s “Tribute to Women in Industry.”
Julia is the parent of a UC San Diego graduate. She has been involved at the university for nearly twenty years as a very active volunteer, donor and trustee. She is known as a staunch advocate of student support. She believes in the critical importance of developing talent and investing in people. She established an endowed fund for undergraduate scholarships which currently provides scholarships for seven undergraduate students per year. In addition, she has more recently begun to fund graduate fellowships and a first-of-its kind faculty fellowship in biology. She was a charter member of UC San Diego’s Undergraduate Scholarship Council, has served as its chair, and continues to be a member. Over the years, she has also served on the Rady School
Executive Education Advisory Committee, the Preuss School Founder’s Circle, the Director’s
Cabinet of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Dean’s Leadership Council for Biology, and the advisory board for UC San Diego Health Sciences. She has recently joined the advisory board for the library. She is in her third term as a trustee and was elected to serve as Chair from 2010 to
2012, after having served as Vice Chair. She was the inaugural chair of the Foundation board’s
Stewardship committee.
Julia’s passion for the university stems from her strong belief in the importance of its research and innovation, its economic impact and its importance as an engine of social mobility.