Sisterhood Spotlight

What is Crossover’s primary mission?

CrossOver’s mission is to provide high quality healthcare, promote wellness, and connect community talents and resources with people in need in the name of Jesus Christ. We know that healthcare is foundational, directly impacting a person’s ability to take care of their family, maintain employment, and lead a fulfilling life. Healthcare at CrossOver is holistic, striving to care for the whole person. It’s also collaborative and comprehensive, comprising primary and specialty care, dental, eye, OB and women’s health, HIV testing and treatment, mental health, case management, and medications.

What challenges or opportunities have you encountered being a female CEO?

When I started out at CrossOver, I was a single mom of 3 and 5-year-old sons, so work-life balance was a challenge. At the time, we had board meetings at 6:30 a.m., so on the nights before those meetings, my mother would travel to my house so she could get my boys to school the next morning after I left the house at 6 a.m. On the other hand, being at CrossOver has also given me the flexibility to care for my family, which has made my work possible—and we no longer hold our board meetings at 6:30 a.m.!

Sometimes people are surprised to find out that a CEO is a woman, and some people tend to be more dismissive of women, so it can feel like there is a smaller margin for error. Toward the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I started meeting weekly by Zoom with five other female executives of healthcare safety net clinics. That network of support has been important during these years that have been particularly difficult for healthcare and for the safety net in particular.

Though there are exceptions, I’ve found that women generally tend to have more collaborative and consensus-building leadership styles than men, who tend to be more top-down. This can be challenging since collaboration and consensus are more time-consuming than unilateral decision-making, but in the long run, I have found that consensus and collaboration result in stronger outcomes.

What is one simple thing Virginia’s Women+girls (W+g) can do today to be healthier?

Don’t put off your health. We saw that people delayed preventative care and screenings during the pandemic, and if you haven’t caught up, please do that. Women sometimes have an unfortunate tendency to put off their health while taking care of what everyone else needs, but it’s so important to take care of yourself.

I’d encourage girls to build healthy habits now, because they will make a difference throughout your life. One of the most important healthy habits is confidence. There are so many unhealthy images of beauty in our world, and you don’t have to be limited by them. You are your own best advocate, so speak up. Cultivate self-acceptance. It will empower you—and the girls and women around you—wherever you go.

How important is faith to your daily work?

People have many “whys” for getting involved with CrossOver’s work. For me, faith is my “why.” It’s what motivates me to be at CrossOver. I believe that, as a Christian, I have a responsibility to improve the lives of the people around me. The nonprofit world and healthcare can be a tumultuous place, and it is faith that anchors me as we navigate stressful times.

How can Virginians access Crossover’s services or learn more about other health clinics like Crossover?

Our work is funded by the generosity of the philanthropic community and powered by volunteers. Visit our website or call 804-655-2794 to learn more about getting involved or about becoming a patient. You can also find a listing of all free and charitable clinics in Virginia at the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics website.

About Julie Bilodeau

Julie Bilodeau is the CEO at CrossOver Healthcare Ministry. Ms. Bilodeau joined CrossOver in 2003 after working for over ten years at Circuit City Stores. During her tenure, CrossOver has opened a clinic on Quioccasin Road in Henrico County, established an in-house licensed pharmacy, implemented electronic health records and begun participation with Virginia Medicaid. In 2022, CrossOver purchased the building where the Henrico Clinic has been housed since 2005 and is currently renovating and expanding clinic space to increase patient capacity. CrossOver serves over 6,600 patients annually. 

Ms. Bilodeau holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the College of William and Mary and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. She is a member of the Leadership Metro Richmond Class of 2011 and the Rotary Club of West Richmond, where she serves on the board of directors. Additionally, Ms. Bilodeau serves on the board of Henrico Doctors Hospital in Richmond and is a current member of the Virginia Taskforce on Primary Care.