About Julie Stokes

Julie Stokes is CEO of Flame Consulting, CFO of Stokes & Associates, Founder of Ellevate Louisiana and Co-Founder of the Cancer Advocacy Group of Louisiana.  She is a CPA, a nonpartisan policy advocate, a civic leader, and a speaker. 

Over her seven years of service in the Louisiana Legislature, Julie Stokes gained a reputation as passionate advocate for comprehensive, non-partisan fiscal policy.  Julie was able to share her knowledge as a CPA, as well as gain significant legislative experience, with the Louisiana budget, comparative state tax policy, oversight of legislative audit, Louisiana’s economic development incentives, and Louisiana’s Department of Health policies.  Having received numerous accolades for her work in the Legislature and leaving public life behind in 2020, she has opened Flame Consulting to continue supporting projects that she is passionate about, like nonpartisan public policy, cancer advocacy and helping other worthy causes with strategic planning and management consulting. 

As part of her work through Flame Consulting, Julie founded Ellevate Louisiana.  Ellevate Louisiana’s purpose is to empower women leaders throughout Louisiana by connecting and educating them on the challenges impacting our State with data-driven, non-partisan solutions to make a better future for Louisiana.  In their first few months of operation, Ellevate Louisiana has over one hundred members from around the state.  Ellevate Louisiana holds symposiums in key areas of state policy-making which are supported by weekly videocasts with policy makers that are moderated and hosted by Julie Stokes through Ellevate Louisiana Educates.  The group crafted its own legislative agenda for the 2021 legislative session, almost all of which passed and were signed into law.

Julie was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, and after a nine-month battle she was declared and remains cancer-free.  She turned her personal fight with cancer into a legislative mission by becoming an advocate for patients and survivors; she believes that we should never place a patient’s life in jeopardy because of bureaucracy. 

During her time in, and since leaving the legislature, Julie has been responsible for at least thirteen major pieces of legislation to improve access to better early detection and treatment options for cancer diagnoses.  As a result of her passionate advocacy over the years, she has founded the Survivor’s Cancer Action Network (SCAN) whose mission it is to unite and deliver services to the patient and survivor communities of Louisiana.  The SCAN Legislative Advisory Board will collaborate to pass legislation to bring the most current science for cancer care to the people of Louisiana.

Julie also serves as CFO of Stokes & Associates, where she provides the financial leadership that has grown the company from two employees in 1998 to well over thirty employees today.  Stokes & Associates was recognized in 2020 as one of UNO’s Top 25 Alumni-Owned businesses and is one of the most respected vocational rehabilitation firms in the state of Louisiana.

Julie recently graduated from the 2020 Leadership Louisiana class offered by the Committee for a Better Louisiana and has since joined that organization.  She also currently serves as the Chair of the GNO, Inc. Policy Committee and is actively involved with the Committee of 100 for Economic Development, New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the Louisiana Society of CPA's, Women United and the University of New Orleans Alumni Association which named her as their Distinguished Alumna of the Year in 2017.  She is a frequent speaker to groups on the subject of fiscal policy as well as on inspirational topics such as finding your voice, making a difference in this world and fighting back against all kinds of adversity and overcoming it.

During her time in the Louisiana Legislature, she chaired the Legislative Audit Advisory Council and the Sales Tax Streamlining and Modernization Committee.  She was a very active member of the Ways & Means and House Health & Welfare Committees.  She also served on House Labor, Capital Outlay, and was an interim member of House Appropriations Committee.  She travelled Louisiana with the Committee of 100, the Public Affairs Research Council, and the Committee for Better Louisiana as one of the lead speakers on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform in 2015 and 2016.  Nationally, she was very involved with the National Council of State Legislatures, having served on the Executive Committee, as Co-Chair of their Budget and Revenue Standing Committee, and being co-chairmanship of its Executive Task Force on State and Local Taxes. 

She attended the University of New Orleans on full scholarship where she received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Magna Cum Laude.  Julie resides in Kenner with her husband Larry and their two children, Brandon and Taylor. 

Honors and Awards include:

 2022 "Spirit of Scouting Community Service Award," Boy Scouts of America Southeast Louisiana   

          Council

2022 "Legislative Champion," United Way of Southeast Louisiana

2021 "New Orleans 500"