Julie A. Taylor serves as first lady of Samford University, in Birmingham, Ala., and as executive director of the Samford University Legacy League, a scholarship foundation that serves students with significant financial need, positions she has held since July 2021. In her roles, Mrs. Taylor works primarily within institutional advancement on donor, alumni, and parent relations, and with Legacy League staff and volunteers, and she enjoys hosting students and guests to a variety of university events throughout the year.

Mrs. Taylor previously served as first lady and special assistant to the board of trustees at Whitworth University, in Spokane, Wash., from 2010-2021, where she also served as advisor to the Whitworth University Student Ambassadors and Whitworth Women’s Leadership Network.

In the Birmingham community, Mrs. Taylor is a member of the Antiquarian Society of Birmingham and the Women’s Committee of 100. She has previously served on the boards of Big Table, a national non-profit that ministers to workers in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and of Camp Spalding, a Washington summer camp.

Mrs. Taylor received her bachelor’s degree in education, with a specialization in biology, and her master’s degree in educational psychology from Baylor University, in Waco, Tex. She then spent several years teaching high school science in public schools and coaching high school girls’ soccer. Julie is married to Dr. Beck A. Taylor, president of Samford University, and they have three children: Zachary, a Los Angeles-based music recording artist, Lauren, a medical student at the University of Washington, and Chloe, a high school senior. She enjoys running, reading, and traveling. Mrs. Taylor and her family are members of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church.