This story originally appeared in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Harker Magazine, which can be read and downloaded from Harker’s issuu page.
Words by Vikki Bowes-Mok
Photographs by Sophie Ormond or provided by Julia Gitis ’03
Julia Gitis ’03 tapped into her passion for building community long before it became her life’s work, starting with a senior-year initiative that would leave a lasting impression. At Harker, Gitis created, directed, produced and edited the school’s firstever video yearbook.
“During the week, I put a lot of effort into making sure every student in our class had a chance to speak on camera,” a determined Gitis recalled. “And then every weekend, a group of classmates would get together to edit the footage. We debuted the final film at our baccalaureate ceremony, in front of the entire school and parent community.”
Looking back, that experience proved formative. “When I reflect on it now, much of what I do today has its roots in that senior-year project: entrepreneurship, leadership, technology, community and inclusivity,” she said.
“Julia was an energetic, genuine and fun student who truly loved Spanish,” said Abel Olivas, her Spanish teacher. “She took real joy in supporting her peers as they learned, and valued connection and community.”
“San Francisco gives us wings; our neighbors give us roots.” That belief is at the heart of Gitis’ work today. She now leads Good Neighbor Lab, a nonprofit that designs programs to strengthen neighbor-to-neighbor relationships, build connections between residents and institutions, and encourage hyperlocal innovation. The idea for Good Neighbor Lab emerged from a small but telling change in San Francisco’s streetscape: the gradual disappearance of newspaper racks. Rather than looking away, Gitis saw an opportunity to reimagine those spaces as community bulletin boards, physical places for neighbors to share information and connect.
Her work in community building took on momentum in May 2025, when Gitis joined an organizing call for National Good Neighbor Day. She was surprised to learn that she was the only participant from California and that the holiday had never been officially celebrated in San Francisco. Energized by the discovery, Gitis began reaching out to local partners to help bring the celebration to life.
Those who have known Gitis the longest say this kind of ambition and follow through is nothing new. Gabrielle DeMers ’03, her best friend and classmate since fourth grade, describes Gitis as “visionary, empathetic and determined.” DeMers recalls that in the same year Gitis graduated from MIT, she also moved her family cross-country, trained for and completed a triathlon, and got married – all within a matter of months. “I’m exhausted just thinking about it,” DeMers said with a laugh.
And DeMers isn’t the only one who is impressed.
“Julia tackles everything she does with a blend of determination, a wry sense of humor and optimism,” said Pam Dickinson, Office of Communication director, who had Gitis as an assistant one summer. “She literally assumes the best, and by believing it, she makes it so. She’s the hardest person I have ever met to say ‘no’ to!”
As with most meaningful journeys, Gitis’ path was shaped by curiosity and experimentation. She began her career as a classroom teacher in the East Bay before spending many years in education technology, including five years as a senior product manager at Khan Academy. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, a master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. These experiences continue to inform her work at the intersection of learning, technology and community.
“I felt really supported at Harker, from students, teachers and administrators, and felt the most alive when I was contributing to that community,” said Gitis. “Now in San Francisco, I feel like I’m stewarding a movement that counters doom scrolling by encouraging people to talk to their neighbors and build community.”
Vikki Bowes-Mok is a freelance writer and editor.
