Originally from Montreal, Julie Besse completed her Bachelor's Degree in Dietetics at Laval University. Her nutrition career led her to work in Thunder Bay in all medical fields except acute care, namely, long term care, complex chronic care, home care, palliative care, orthopedic/neurology/brain injury rehabilitation, rheumatology and chronic pain. In the early 1990's, she was involved in the beginnings of what has evolved today to become the SJCG Chronic Pain Management team. Today, she continues to provide nutrition counseling for the Chronic Pain clients and the mental health outpatients through St. Joseph's Care Group. In 2017, she obtained her certificate in Nutritional Pain Management (AIPM). She has been participating in "Project ECHO" Chronic Pain & Opioids St. Joseph’s Care Group and The Ottawa Hospital as a nutrition and pain expert and is a nutrition presenter for ECHO Queens/UHN and CHUM. She is a member of the Chronic Pain Quality Standard Advisory Committee - Health Quality Ontario and has been a Canadian Pain Task Force Provincial Stakeholder Workshop member. In her leisure time, she enjoys photography, and sailing on Lake Superior and in the Caribbean.