Who We Are
Julie Bernstein, founder of Second Valley Events, was raised in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire, near the banks of the Connecticut River, and moved to the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Master's degree from the Oregon Health & Science University Physician Assistant Program.
Prior to launching Second Valley Events, Julie spent 15 years working as a physician assistant in geriatric medicine, providing care to hospitalized older adults in all stages of health and frailty and through the end of their lives.
Through this work she developed expertise in hospital and palliative medicine, medical prognosis, frailty, hospice care, death & dying. During the pandemic she also witnessed the many ways isolation can impact the end of one's life, and watched families suffer regret in not being able to spend more time with loved ones.
In 2022, Julie decided to leave the hospital behind and change course to focus on celebrations of lives well lived and the joy of connections with our loved ones, founding Portland's first event planning service dedicated solely to end of life gatherings.
Want to know more about Julie's professional background? Click here for her full resume/CV.