University of Portland Sports Information Director Julie Natale has announced that she will resign her post effective August 12, 2005. Natale leaves the University after three years of service to return to her hometown and help provide care for ill family members. Though excited to return to her New England roots, the decision was a difficult for one for Natale.
This is one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” said Natale. “I’ve been here three years as an employee and it’s been an experience that I will always treasure. Family comes first, and I know that this is a decision I will not regret. One of my career goals was to become an NCAA Division I Sports Information Director, and the University of Portland helped make that happen. I will be forever grateful to them for that opportunity and have sincerely enjoyed my experience here on The Bluff.”
“It has been a joy to have Julie as the face of our athletics endeavors for media purposes,” said Athletics Director Larry Williams. “She is an incredibly thoughtful and diligent person, as evidenced by her work, and her very reason for departure. We wish her well.”
Natale was promoted to sports information director in June of 2003 after being hired as an assistant SID in 2002. At Portland, she administered the department’s sports information operation, including media relations, Web site maintenance, publications, statistics, photography and archives.
The University of Portland hosted five NCAA Regional events during her tenure on The Bluff, as well as numerous NCAA first & second round soccer playoff matches. Natale also made great strides moving the department ahead in technology, publication design, as well as a newly redesigned Web site that is scheduled to launch on August 25, 2005.
Prior to her time at Portland, Natale served as an assistant sports information director at the University of Utah from 1999-2002 and was the sports information director at Lewis & Clark College from 1997-99. Previously, Natale worked as a freelance media coordinator for the Adidas Oregon Track Classic, the Les Schwab Invitational and the Les Schwab Oregon Bowl.
She received her start in the sports information field in 1995 as a graduate assistant SID at Valdosta State University. In the summer of 1996, she worked the Centennial Summer Olympic Games, held in Atlanta, Georgia. Natale, a freelance contractor working for Atlanta Olympic Broadcasting, was a commentary systems operator at the volleyball venue.
Natale is still an active member of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America), where she has been a part of several committees such as the workshop social committee, the vice-chair of the NCAA legislation committee and the scholarship committee. She is educated in fundraising and holds a grant-writing certificate from the University of Utah. Natale is also a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
Natale received two awards from the NAIA for her work with Lewis & Clark’s Web site, and Utah’s 2000-01 women’s basketball media guide was judged best in District VIII among NCAA Division I schools by CoSIDA. Her 2000 Utah volleyball media guide also received honors, claiming second-place in CoSIDA District VIII. In the fall of 2004, Natale was selected as a United “Who’s Who” of executive and professionals.
>The search for UP’s next sports information director is already underway.