Julia
de Petra
Talent

A Bay Area native, Julia grew up at the intersection of technology, startups, and the outdoors—an early exposure that shaped both her career path and the way she spends her time outside of work. She skied competitively through middle and high school and still builds her life around being active, whether that's hiking around the Bay, playing tennis, or heading up to Tahoe whenever she can.
Julia studied psychology at Wake Forest University—an early interest in what makes people tick that still shapes how she approaches talent today. She began her career in executive search, partnering with venture-backed startups and growth-stage technology companies to place senior leaders across engineering and product. Working alongside founders during periods of rapid growth sharpened her conviction that talent is the single biggest lever in company building—and pulled her toward IC recruiting at the earliest stages, where those decisions matter most.
At Audacious, Julia focuses on the intersection of talent and early-stage venture, helping portfolio companies attract strong technical teams, scale intentionally, and build durable cultures from day one.
When she's not working, you'll find Julia trying new restaurants and coffee shops, reading in the Presidio, or planning her next trip to the mountains