Armed Women of America (AWA) is proud to announce the appointment of Julie Godfrey, Colorado to its Board of Directors.

Julie joins fellow directors, Michelle Camp (UT), Jamie Green (AR), Toni Gleeson (AZ), Tricia Reiss (MT) and Kerrie Ann Auclair (MA).

Julie began her shooting journey in January 2014. Like so many women today her drive towards firearm and self-defense training came from a traumatic event in which her two daughters’ high school was shot up. As she raced towards campus, Julie felt completely powerless to protect her children. Both daughters made it home safely, but that experience left Julie with a drive to take personal responsibility for the safety of herself and her family. With no prior experience Julie walked into a range and although the initial training sessions were intimidating and at times overwhelming, she stuck with it slowly building her confidence.

Julie realized she was not alone in this type of experience, and in 2022 became an AWA Chapter Leader and Instructor. She instructs many other courses at her local range to pursue her God-given calling of empowering women to feel confident, capable, and safe with a firearm.  Julie holds certifications as an NRA Pistol Instructor, NRA Range Safety Officer, NRA Refuse To Be A Victim Instructor, and Colorado CHP-verified instructor. Julie has built a community in Colorado where women can learn firearm safety and self-defense in a supportive and judgement free environment and have fun doing it!

Besides instructing, she has been a competitive shooter for several years in

USPSA having reached a B classification. Julie was named High Lady at the Gunsite GAS match women’s division in 2024, and was a Qualifier Winner at Hand to Gun in 2018. She regularly competes at her local State and District USPSA competitions and was a guest instructor for the 2025 Rocky Range Rally CO/WY State Shoot. She has trained with many expert instructors, such as, Rob Leatham, Mike Seeklander, JJ Racaza and Larry Vickers, and takes an annual trip to Gunsite Academy.

Julie loves her family and is blessed with a loving husband, two daughters, two son-in-laws, and a granddaughter that come over every Sunday for dinner. When she isn’t shooting you can find her out on long walks with her two dogs, Max and Daisy, taking Pilates classes, or trying a new food adventure restaurant.

For Julie, the work is personal. She says, “It shouldn’t take a tragedy for women to seek out self-defense training. Women and mothers deserve to feel capable, independent and safe and I have dedicated myself every day to making that happen. As an empty nest mother, shooting and instructing has become a great passion I never thought I would find in this season of life.

Armed Women of America is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to enabling women to be their own self-protectors through firearms education, training, and a supportive nationwide community of chapters.
For more information about Armed Women of America, visit www.armedwomen.org.