About Julie

Whether managing personal or business accounting, budgets and records or volunteering for animal welfare oganizations, Julie Dudley’s passion is helping individuals and small organizations in a friendly, approachable and affordable way.

Julie brings more than 25 years of business knowledge, financial experience and compassion towards people and animals to the services she offers through Silver Pearl Inc., a company she founded in 2009.

With computer science and industrial engineering degrees from the University of Wisconsin and University of Massachusetts, Julie’s professional career included work for Pitney Bowes, PPG Biomedical Systems, a multi-state energy company, and her own consulting practice where she managed 12 employees and projects for Fortune 500 companies. From 2003-2008, she was a program manager for Microsoft, in Redmond, Washington.

Upon moving to North Carolina in 2008 and shedding the corporate lifestyle of long hours and long commutes, Julie founded The Grey Muzzle Organization, a non-profit that improves the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and other groups nationwide.

In her job as president of Silver Pearl Inc., Julie draws upon her past experiences to quickly analyze and effectively determine how to best collaborate with people to achieve their goals. Through Julie’s clear communications style and down-to-earth approach, clients come to rely upon her as a trusted resource.  

Summary of experience

• Bookkeeping, financial reporting, and budgeting for small organizations and other companies since 1997.
• Thirteen years in customer research with a strong focus on understanding customers and making technology work for people and organizations.
• More than a decade of experience as a consultant, helping organizations from solopreneurs to Fortune 500 companies with a variety of technical, customer research, and marketing goals.

History

2009 - present: Owner, Silver Pearl Inc.

2008 - present: Founder and President, The Grey Muzzle Organization, a non-profit that helps homeless senior dogs. Since 2008, number of supporters has grown from 200 to 1,200, and over $160,000 in grants have been awarded.

2003 - 2008: Program Manager and User Research Lead, Microsoft Corporation

1999 - 2002: Founder and President, Optavia Corporation, a 13-employee user research consulting company

1994 - 1999: Usability Services Manager, Compuware Corporation, a consulting company

1985 - 1994: Computer software programming technical and project management positions

Certifications and memberships

• Certified Quickbooks User (through Intuit, 2010)
• Member of the American Association of Daily Money Managers
• Member of the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers
• Member of the Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce
• Member of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce
• Member of the Health Affairs Round Table (HART), Triangle area
• Member of the Lifelines Academy, an organization that educates and connects people serving seniors
• Member of the Wake County Senior Alliance

Education

• M.S. Industrial Engineering/Human Factors, University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Human Factors is a field that helps ensure that technology is people-friendly.)
• B.S. Computer Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Certificate in Non-Profit Management, University of Illinois-Chicago
• Certificate in Project Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Executive Education

Continuing Education

• Mastering Quickbooks, 2-day workshop, Raleigh, NC (2010)
• Working with Older Adults and their Families, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Aging and Adult Services.
  2-day workshop, May 2011
• Triangle Caregivers Conference, June 2011 (highly recommended learning experience if you are caring for a relative)

It's been exciting for me to find that each of these learning investments can be applied to all of my work, for instance, helping me manage projects and use technology effectively. I look forward to using all of my experience to help you!

 

Julie with husband Barry, Belle, and Maxwell
at a favorite Falls Lake spot.

My husband and I moved to North Carolina in 2008. I am originally from Wisconsin and Barry from California, although we met when living in the Seattle area. We plan to stay and eventually retire in this beautiful area. We love the climate, the many activities available in the Triangle (without the hectic pace of life) and most of all, the welcoming people we've met here!

We live in western Wake Forest, although we often travel throughout the Triangle, looking for new restaurants, especially! And of course, we need a Southern Season "fix" occassionally. We usually share our home with one or two older or special needs foster dogs, as well as our own "pack."

My approach is mature, trustworthy, and down-to-earth!
Contact me
for a free initial consultation
(919) 928-5282
julie@silverpearlinc.com

Fully insured and bonded

Locations served in North Carolina
Wake (north and central), Durham, Franklin and Granville counties, including:
Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Wake Forest, Youngsville, Durham,  Creedmoor, Franklinton, Louisburg

Silver Pearl "grand opening" ribbon cutting at Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce event