Although Julia Reed grew up in the Mississippi Delta, she began attending the Madeira School outside of Washington D.C. at 16. She interned at Newsweek’s Washington bureau for six years as she attended Georgetown and American University. She is now a contributing editor for Newsweek, covering New Orleans politics and the monthly “Food and Drink” column.

Julia has been writing for Vogue since 1988, profiling various political figures from Al Gore to Condoleezza Rice. She also contributes regularly to the New York Times Book Review, New York Times, London’s “The Spectator,” and Southern Accents. She makes regular appearances on MSNBC and CNN.

Julia has three books out: Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena; Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns and Other Southern Specialties: An Entertaining Life (with Recipes), and The House on First Street: My New Orleans Story.

Currently, she lives in New Orleans (First Street) with her husband, John, and their dog, Henry. She is chairman of the board of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and serves on the boards of FriendsofNewOrleans.org.