SOUND MINDS 2027 EVENT CHAIR
Julia Van Domelen
Julia Van Domelen is a visionary philanthropist whose passion for improving the lives of children has helped shape the future of behavioral health care in Collier County. Through her leadership of the Bill & Julia Van Domelen Foundation, Julia has made transformational investments in organizations that serve children and families, and one of her deepest and most personal commitment is to ensuring young people have access to the mental health care they need to thrive.
That commitment is powerfully reflected in her support of DLC. In late 2023, as DLC launched Hope for Collier: Building Stronger Minds Together—a $160 million public-private partnership designed to confront the most severe mental health and substance use crisis our community has ever faced, Julia took the time to understand both the data and the human stories behind it.
What she learned was sobering: Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among children, and one in four children in Collier County needs mental health services. For Julia, this was not an abstract crisis, it was a call to action.
She responded by making the first transformational private investment in the initiative: a commitment dedicated to expanding behavioral health services for children and adolescents. Her leadership has sent a clear message that the mental health of our youngest citizens is not optional, not secondary, and not something our community can afford to ignore.
Julia has agreed to serve as Chair of Sound Minds 2027 because DLC’s mission aligns squarely with her heart. Sound Minds shines a spotlight on the behavioral health challenges facing children and teenagers today—anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and the increasing pressures of a rapidly changing world—and mobilizes the community to respond with urgency, compassion, and resources.
True to her belief in “Time, Treasure, and Talent,” Julia’s involvement goes far beyond financial support. She is deeply engaged, thoughtfully curious, and genuinely involved in DLC’s work. She brings warmth, clarity, and an unwavering focus on impact, especially when it comes to children who are struggling silently and families searching for hope.
As Chair of Sound Minds 2027, Julia Van Domelen is helping lead a community-wide commitment to ensure that children and teenagers in Collier County are seen, supported, and given the chance to build healthy, resilient futures.