Who We Are
Building Bridges is comprised of a handful of people who are passionate about youth in Tacoma. We work to see a positive change in our community by mentoring the next generation-students. Building Bridges was developed because we want students to learn to measure their lives by their service to others. Beyond their dreams and goals being fulfilled, it will be their relationships that will matter the most at the end of their lives. It is our desire to teach them how to have successful, meaningful relationships. Our teams lead students through a variety of activities to expose stereotypes, restore broken relationship and give them the tools to build and maintain strong, healthy ones.
Special note to Parents, Administrators, Etc:
We know that during these times, students are often very vulnerable. We believe it is our duty to manage their emotions responsibly and guide them through this process in a SAFE manner. What happens at Building Bridges stays at Building Bridges. Our desire is to foster safe and reliable relationships with the students involved in Building Bridges through effective follow-up. All leaders involved with Building Bridges undergo extensive background checks and are selected based on their commitment to lasting involvement in each school. We follow state mandated reporting guidelines and have a trained counselor on premise or on call to handle any issues that may arise that would be pertinent to the student’s safety.
Julie Walton
Director
Growing up, Julie was the girl who appeared to have everything together. She had a great family, played on sports teams, sang in the choir and graduated as the valedictorian of her high school. But even with all of these activities and accomplishments, she still felt extremely lonely and unknown. Because of this, Julie feels that she can relate with anything the students she works with have gone through. Her heart for Building Bridges has developed from a desire to see students equipped to live life successfully, as she has worked to that end with youth in the community over the last 10 years.
Julie moved to Tacoma in 2002, and has been highly involved with young people in Tacoma. She has spent the last four years working with students at Stadium High School, where she is an advisor for the Link Crew, a freshman retention program, and the Sparrow Club, which allows high school students to “adopt” a family facing medical crisis and work to raise money to cover their medical expenses. Julie works full time investing her life in the youth around her. She has pioneered Building Bridges at Stadium High School, Metropolitan Development Council and Life Christian Academy.
Before giving her life to mentor young people in her community, Julie received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Greenville College and spent five years working as an accountant. She is also the successful owner and creative genius behind Julie Ann Collection, a jewelry collection she started six years ago, which is now sold in 11 stores in four different states, including boutiques in Seattle, The San Juan Islands and Long Beach.
Ryan Buskirk
Facilitator
Ryan Buskirk knew he wanted to work with students when, in college, he realized that what he had to offer needed to be given to the next generation in order to make a difference because that is where hope for the future lies. He realized that the ceiling of his achievements should be the floor of their opportunity, but if he wasn’t investing in them, they would never know that.
With this conviction, Ryan spent 10 years on staff with Young Life in Portland and Kitsap County and has spent the last five years as a mentor and advocate for young people in the community. Ryan earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Washington in 1994 and an MA in Theology from Faith Seminary in 2007. Ryan also spent two years as a financial advisor. He is passionate about seeing young people come fully alive with an understanding of who they are and a hope for their future. His desire is to see young people flourish in every sphere of society and operate as agents of change and transformation in their homes, families, and communities.
Ryan and his wife Amy have lived in Tacoma for 7 years. They have three boys, Ben, Adam and Peter.