Julie Croner

Bio:

For over a decade, Julie Croner hasn't just been part of the Health Leader community—she has fundamentally shaped it. As the driving force behind the largest network of Health Leaders (100k+), Julie has forged unparalleled connections, amplified countless patient stories, and consistently ensured that the right patient and caregiver voices are heard at the highest levels.

Julie's journey, which began in IT consulting at Deloitte, dramatically shifted when personal health challenges led her to a profound calling in advocacy. Living powerfully with psoriatic arthritis, avascular necrosis, and having navigated melanoma, complex regional pain syndrome, depression, and anxiety, Julie brings a rare depth of empathy and relentless drive to her work. Her personal mantra, "It's just a bad day, not a bad life," fuels her highly acclaimed blog, itsjustabadday.com, and defines her resilience. While her focus initially centered on her own health journey, Julie quickly embraced a higher calling: to advocate for all advocates.

Upon re-entering the workforce, Julie joined WEGO Health, where she launched the first-of-its-kind platform to connect Patient Leaders, provide essential advocacy resources, and gain compensated opportunities. She was also an integral part of developing the industry’s gold-standard Pharmaceutical Grade Influencer Marketing program. Following its acquisition by Health Union, Julie continued to innovate for the Health Leader community. She spearheaded the team that launched the first and only Patient Leader Certification program, providing long-sought validation for advocates.

An accomplished and sought-after speaker, Julie has graced the stages of prestigious events including Stanford Medicine X, ePharma, HLTH, the FDA, and NIH. Her leadership has been widely recognized; she was named to MM&M’s 2020 class of 40 Under 40 and awarded the 2021 Reuters Global Pharma Awards Patient Champion. Julie's collaborative impact extends to organizations like The National Psoriasis Foundation, The Arthritis Foundation, and AAIFA, where she consistently holds leadership roles on steering committees and patient advisory boards.

Beyond her groundbreaking professional work, Julie is a proud veteran army wife and a devoted mama to four, including a youngest daughter living with chronic lung disease and a feeding tube—a personal connection that deepens her advocacy. When she's not championing patient voices, Julie enjoys jamming to Celine Dion (or Disney tunes), fitting in a yoga session amidst four joyful (and sometimes crying) kids, experimenting with new recipes, or simply enjoying life in Pittsburgh, PA.

https://www.instagram.com/itsjustabaddaynotlife/ 
https://linktr.ee/itsjustabaddaynotlife 
https://itsjustabadday.com/