Julie Schaar of Valley Center has joined the board of the active age newspaper, bringing with her 23 years experience in health care.
“One of my first jobs was as a nurse’s aide in long-term care,” Schaar said. “That just cultivated my passion for not only health care but taking care of seniors — taking care of those who once took care of us.”
Born in Smith Center, Schaar moved to Valley Center with her parents, Jim and Diane Grauerholz, when she was 3 years old. She attended school there, earned a nursing degree from Bethel College and later a master’s degree in health care leadership from Friends University.
Schaar worked as a nurse at Kansas Heart Hospital, Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka and Wesley Medical Center before going to work at Via Christi 13 years ago. She is now director of physician operations for Ascension Via Christi.
Schaar and her husband, Tony, have a 20-year-old daughter and 17-year-old twins. She enjoys attending her childrens’ events, concerts and theater productions. She is a “huge Shocker fan.”
“My dream hobby is to have a beautiful garden,” she said. “Maybe in retirement?”
Schaar replaced board longtime member Elvira Crocker, who plans to continue writing for the active age.
