Julianna grew up in La Ronge, Saskatchewan – the third of three children, raised by a single Mom.  It’s her Mom who has been Julianna’s loudest, greatest and biggest supporter.  Julianna admits her mentors have been people she aspires to be one day.  Pink is a gutsy woman she admires, someone who is confident in her own skin and does what makes her happy.  Another person she admires is Conan O’Brien.  “He’s funny, very smart, and very hardworking.”  All qualities that are essential when you truly admire the different aspects of what makes a person great.  

Things haven’t always been easy for Julianna.  For six years she was essentially bedridden, and she says she could “hardly leave my bedroom.”  Finally, a diagnosis helped her find ways to overcome the symptoms of her illnesses; Chronic Fatigue (something Julianna shares with Cher) and Celiac disease.  Both illnesses have devastating effects on the person who suffers from them.  And suffer you do. It’s not that she doesn’t have bad days, she does.  But she did get better.  And as soon as she felt well enough, Julianna applied to take the Media Arts Production program at Saskatchewan Polytech.  She graduated in 2018.  It wasn’t easy for her as “there were many days I didn’t have the energy and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to finish school.”  Then another barrier placed itself in her path as she worked through the second semester of school.  She was falling behind.  And she assumed she was just being lazy.  Then she was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyper Activity (ADHD).  This was something she could consult with her family doctor with and medication helped her to focus.  Natural supplements gave Julianna energy and then she changed her diet.  “I still struggle with my health, but I try to just take one day at a time” she says as she explains the challenges she’s faced coming to this point in her life.  But then she thinks of her life before.  

She’d been working as a salesperson at Best Buy and constantly worrying about her future.  And then she got the call … CTV wanted her to join their team.  She says of that moment, “it was just amazing.  I felt like jumping up and down and crying tears of joy.  I just couldn’t believe it.”  I get the sense she is still floating on a cloud of disbelief as she talks about the highlights of her career thus far.  “Hearing my name on TV!  I’ve loved TV and movies since I was a kid and would day dream about being an actor and a filmmaker… And this interview.  I’ve always imagined myself being interviewed, so it’s really cool to have it happen in real life.”  Even though climbing up the corporate CTV ladder is tempting for Julianna she has time to make choices as to whether she’ll focus on being a live reporter in the morning of if she’ll focus on journalism.  “Fortunately, I have options and I’m very grateful for that.”  

Part of having options is also finding ways to explore the creativity we don’t see Julianna possesses as a reporter on our television screen.  Things like her independent documentaries that she posts on her YouTube channel under the name Saniska Media.  Currently she is working on a documentary about the generational impact residential schools have had.  When she’s completed it, she plans to post it on her Saniska Media channel.  She’s also a writer.  Julianna is really proud of the series of native legends she’s written that will be featured in the April 2019 issue of Vintage Gypsy magazine, published here in Prince Albert by Shannon Kelly.    Ultimately, Julianna hopes to be able to write a book about being ill.  “It was absolutely the hardest time of my life, but it put life in general into perspective.  I think I came out a better person.”  I think a lot of survivors who have had their life threatened by illness feel the same way as Julianna.  Life becomes more precious.  And we find things to fill our spare time like Julianna does.  “I hang out with my dog, Odie and try to get to the movie theatre.”  Sounds like an ideal life to me!  

I guess what I’d like you to take away from meeting Julianna is next time you’re admiring someone and thinking they must have the best life, take the time to ask some questions then sit back and listen.  You may be surprised what people must get through to get to where they are today.  It’s not always a wonderful life… but depending on how you recover from it, it could be!