Dr. Julie Basler is known across the United States for her expertise in accreditation and compliance practices. She is often sought to testify at the state and national level regarding career and technical school issues as a nonpartisan administrator who maintains a centrist political view: in short, it’s what is best for the student.
Dr. Basler holds a doctorate in English and is the author of three national English textbooks. She currently chairs the CECU Foundation and Research Board and serves as a University of Tennessee Promise Scholar Mentor, helping undergraduate students in pursuit of careers in higher education throughout the UT system.
From 2008 to 2024, Dr. Basler served on the national program review committee for the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). On the state level, Dr. Basler advocates for equity and inclusion of all students and serves Colorado organizations that focus on entry-level workforce training.
From 2007 to 2024, Dr. Basler served as Vice President of Academic Affairs and president for Platt College in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Prior to that, she served as the Dean of Fine Arts and Associate Professor of English and Speech Communications at Columbia State Community College in middle Tennessee for nearly a decade.
Dr. Basler is best known for her work in leading the nursing program at Platt College to receive programmatic accreditation, making it the first prelicensure BSN program at a career and technical college in the United States to receive ACEN accreditation. She currently chairs the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deafblind.
In July 2025, Concordia University, St. Paul honored Dr. Basler by dedicating the Student Center at their Denver campus in her name. In Fall 2023, she was named The University of Tennessee (Martin) Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. In December 2022, Dr. Basler was named one of the “Top 20 People Changing Career Education” in Canada and the United States. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, Dr. Basler was awarded the President of the United States’ Volunteer Service Award under Presidents Obama and Trump, which recognizes Americans who make a positive impact.
Interviewed by Winn Claybaugh, Dr. Basler proves to be a master storyteller. While her “doctor” title might lead people to believe this interview will be clinical and dry, that is the furthest thing from the truth. Julie does not quote clinical case studies and textbooks but instead shares her personal story of what it was like to “live with a mask.”
While Julie has always stood for helping others and fighting human suffrage, the personal cost to her and her family to “do better, be more, and make it perfect” almost became too much.
With heart (and even humor!), Julie shares her heartbreaking yet hopeful journey of reclaiming her sense of worth and learning to love herself. Her mantra is “work to live,” rather than “live to work.”
While there may always be a stigma attached to mental health struggles, this powerful interview promises to ease the sting and provide beautiful hope.
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