Julie Harris is the Vice President of Science Initiatives. Her team drives internal and external activities in parallel to promote a strong ecosystem of collaborative partners that together accelerate the Allen Institute’s mission. These efforts bridge science and administrative functions, working closely with leadership, scientists across the Allen Institute, and external partners, Harris guides the planning and management of cross-moonshot science programs, scientific partnerships, and external affairs.

Harris was previously the Vice President of the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group and the Executive Vice President of Research Management at the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. At CureAlz, she oversaw the funding strategy and research priorities for a ~$29 million grant portfolio in support of the most promising science and scientists working to end the burden of Alzheimer’s disease. Between 2011 and 2020, she worked at the Allen Institute for Brain Science as a researcher and Associate Director of Neuroanatomy, where she played pivotal roles building several of the Institute’s signature, foundational open science resources including the Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas and the Allen CCFv3. Harris was also previously the Vice President of Preclinical Biology at Cajal Neuroscience, a Seattle biotech startup focused on identifying therapies for neurodegenerative disease. She received a B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State University, a Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior from the University of Washington.