Julia Haines-LaPenta

After 18 years of competitive gymnastics Julia graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Secondary English Education. She quickly learned her professional dream of emulating Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds was implausible. So at 21 she decided to set sail on a private 156 foot Benetti heading for the Mediterranean Sea where she could learn new cultures, experience diversity and live among foreigners working as a bottom feeder to the world’s wealthiest people. Surprisingly this 1 year plan to experience the world and live out of a suitcase lasted nearly 10 years. It wasn’t until 2013 when she decided to reacclimate to America, land life and paying rent. Julia was hired as an agency recruiter for Captains, Chefs, Stewardesses and Deckhands alike based in Miami/Fort Lauderdale area.

It wasn’t long before Below Deck launched and Julia found the Northeast beckoning her home to unpack her suitcase and take on a new challenge. She knew nothing of Accounting & Finance, firstPRO or the corporate business world. However, thankfully with her younger brother’s guidance, learned about the phenomenal culture, freedom, and potential of agency recruiting at firstPRO. Since April 2016, she has never looked back and is proud to be a part of the firstPRO family! “Work hard, be honest and remember life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.”