Spotnana welcomes Julie Johns as SVP of People

We are excited to welcome Julie Johns as our new SVP of People!

Julie will lead our global People team, helping to shape our culture, total rewards, talent acquisition, workplace strategy, and learning and development strategy during the next phase of our company’s growth.

Julie brings years of People and HR leadership experience across global technology, nonprofit, healthcare, and emerging companies. Prior to Spotnana, she held senior leadership roles at the Gates Foundation and Microsoft. She has also partnered with founders and CEOs to scale organizations. 

Throughout her career, Julie has driven organizational transformation, built high-performing teams, and aligned talent strategy with business goals.

We spoke with Julie about her professional background, why she decided to join Spotnana, and what she looks forward to in her new role.

Can you tell us about your background and experience?

“I’ve spent my career helping organizations build and scale through periods of growth and transformation. What has always energized me is helping organizations build the teams, leaders, and culture needed to grow and thrive.

Before joining Spotnana, I was consulting as the VP of HR for an early-stage startup, where I established the HR infrastructure needed to support company formation and future growth. Prior to that, I led the global talent organization at the Gates Foundation, overseeing talent acquisition, talent management, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and learning across multiple countries while helping modernize the Foundation’s talent strategy during a significant period of transformation.

Earlier in my career, I spent about nine years at Microsoft in progressively broader HR, talent, and business leadership roles across multiple business groups. Some of those roles included supporting a startup within Microsoft, integrating acquisitions, and leading global talent initiatives.

I then joined a Seattle-based startup as the Head of People, where I built the People function and helped expand the company internationally.”

Why did you decide to join Spotnana?

“I met Steve Singh, who is now Spotnana’s CEO and Executive Chairman, in 2019 when he was an investor in VICIS and we have stayed connected over the years.

I have always been impressed by his leadership style and thoughtfulness, so when he reached out about the opportunity, I was excited to learn more. After meeting the team and learning more about the mission, the culture, and the opportunity ahead of Spotnana, it felt like the right place to be. I am excited to join a talented team and help shape the next phase of the company’s growth.”

What makes a workplace culture truly great?

“A great culture is built on respect, accountability, trust, and a little bit of fun. Culture is not something that exists in a handbook or as a standalone initiative. It is created through the everyday experiences people have with their colleagues, leaders, and the organization.

The strongest cultures are those where people feel valued, empowered to do their best work, and connected to a shared purpose. Values matter, but what matters most is that those values show up consistently in how we work together, especially in the small moments that shape the employee experience.”

Which of Spotnana’s values resonates with you the most?

“The value of ‘stronger together’ resonates with me the most. Throughout my career, I’ve seen that the best outcomes come from diverse perspectives, mutual trust, and people working toward a shared purpose.

Strong teams accomplish far more than any individual can alone. A former colleague once shared a quote with me that sums this up nicely: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’

After accepting this role at Spotnana, I learned that this quote is also a favorite of Spotnana’s Founder Sarosh Waghmar.”

How would you describe your leadership philosophy?

“I believe people do their best work when expectations are clear, trust and autonomy are high, and leaders focus on removing obstacles. A leader’s role is to hire exceptional people, give them clarity, invest in their growth, and create an environment where they can do their best work.”

How do you foster connection and collaboration across distributed teams?

“It is important to be intentional about how teams spend time together. I believe in-person connection is essential, especially for global teams, because relationships are built much faster face-to-face.

A global-first approach to how we work helps build trust, strengthen collaboration, and create a more consistent employee experience regardless of location.”

What excites you most about this role as SVP of People at Spotnana?

“I’m excited about the opportunity to work with a talented global team and help Spotnana continue to scale thoughtfully.

I’ve worked in both large global organizations and early-stage startups, and what excites me most about this role is the opportunity to bring those experiences together. Spotnana is growing quickly, and I look forward to helping the leadership team chart a course to becoming a thriving public company.”

Why is travel important to you?

“Travel helps us see the world, experience different cultures, and better understand what makes people and places unique.

I love to travel and have been fortunate to expose my kids to travel from a young age. I believe the experiences and perspective we gain from exploring new places can be just as valuable as what we can learn in the classroom.”