Julie Russell, an appraiser with the Fulton County Assessor’s Office, has recently earned the Certified Illinois Assessing Officer-Specialist (CIAO-S) advanced designation from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute. Russell previously earned the CIAO designation from the Institute.

Russell has been involved in property assessment for more than a decade. She has been on staff with the Fulton County Assessor since 2009, primarily focusing on fieldwork and appraisals. She also works with GIS mapping and legal descriptions with the assessment office. Russell is a 2009 graduate of Western Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She also holds an AS and AA from Spoon River College in Canton. In addition to her duties at Fulton County, she also serves as Treasurer for AFSCME Local 3433 and is the Treasurer of the Village of St. David.

To obtain the Illinois Property Assessment Institute’s CIAO-S designation, an individual must first hold the CIAO designation, then take at least 120 hours of continuing education, work at least three years in an assessment office, and pass an exam. Only 4% of the CIAOs hold the advanced CIAO-S designation.

Russell resides in Canton with her husband, Josh, children, Ethan & Eli, and beagles, Cooper & Cash. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, spending time with friends, watching her boys play sports, and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals.