Perreault, who assumed her position Nov. 1, manages all financial aid accounts and oversees the awarding of $113 million in university, state and federal aid.
Most recently, Perreault held the position of associate director of admissions and financial aid at Oxford College. She had previously served as a financial aid counselor and associate director of financial aid at Emory.
"What I had hoped in becoming director was to bring a sense of balance to the office," said Perreault. "We have a terrific, dedicated staff; they work hard and they work long hours. What we've begun to do is training in working smart, so they're making the best use of their time -- dealing with all those things you have to deal with when your desk is covered with paper -- to enable them to prioritize quickly and focus quickly when peak time comes. It will also enable us to eliminate some of the long hours they've been putting in to prevent burnout and turnover."
Mel Lockhart, vice provost for academic and enrollment planning, said, "Following a full national search that identified more than a dozen very strong candidates, Julia emerged as the hands-down unanimous choice of the search committee as the best person for this position. Throughout the search process, we heard from persons across the campus who have worked with Julia that she is the right person for this job. They expressed extraordinary confidence in her competence in the complex arena of financial aid. Her values, which put students and their families first, have been demonstrated again and again during her tenure in the financial aid office at Emory." -- Nancy M. Spitler