A mosaic art of a tree with green leaves, with its roots extending into dark soil, symbolizing growth and connection to the earth.

ABOUT

Rooted Mosaic

I help individuals and organizations grow with clarity, purpose, and cultural intelligence. Through coaching, IDI assessments, and facilitated conversations, I guide leaders and teams in navigating identity, culture, and belonging with greater confidence and courage.

Grounded in the belief that every person carries inherent worth, my work weaves together story, systems, and self-awareness to create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive. Like a mosaic, each distinct piece matters—and together, they form something stronger, more beautiful, and deeply rooted.

About Julia Van Der Werf

Founder, Rooted Mosaic

I’m Julia Van Der Werf—founder of Rooted Mosaic, intercultural coach, leadership and operational strategist, and lifelong learner. My work sits at the intersection of identity, culture, and belonging, shaped by a lifelong desire to help people live with purpose and show up in the world with integrity and courage.

Originally from Pittsburgh, I’ve called many places home. After college, I moved to Washington, D.C., where I taught 4th and 5th grade and later founded a nonprofit serving families in an under-resourced Northeast D.C. community. Those years stretched and grounded me—they taught me to listen deeply, to honor lived experience, and to recognize the complexity and beauty within every community.

Now rooted in Minneapolis and navigating the middle school years with my three boys, my life continues to be a journey of learning on purpose—making decisions with faith, stepping out in boldness, and growing through every opportunity to do better. I’m still a work in progress, and I believe that’s where the invitation lies: in the honest middle space between who we’ve been and who we are becoming.

Rooted Mosaic was born from that place. I am passionate about helping individuals and organizations align who they are with how they show up in the world—building cultures of clarity, dignity, and belonging. My background in intercultural leadership, nonprofit development, coaching, teaching, and organizational strategy all converge here, allowing me to blend systems thinking with human-centered care.

I believe this work cannot be done alone. We are shaped, strengthened, and called forward in community. Each of us has an opportunity to live our lives on purpose, and when we connect, we pool our strength, creativity, and hope to forge paths that have value—not only for ourselves, but for the world we’re building together.

MISSION AND VALUES

  • Every human being carries sacred worth and reflects something uniquely beautiful about our shared humanity.


    This shapes how we listen, coach, collaborate, design systems, and build community—with dignity, compassion, and deep respect.

  • We hold a posture of hope and restoration.
    Redemptive coaching believes that transformation is possible, that growth is ongoing, and that people can move toward wholeness with the right support.
    It means we:

    • see people through a lens of possibility rather than deficiency

    • create space for honesty and reflection

    • acknowledge what has been hard or harmful

    • imagine and pursue healthier, more aligned ways of living and leading

    Redemptive growth honors the past while opening a path toward renewal.

  • We help people explore the stories, cultures, strengths, and experiences that shape them so they can lead with grounded clarity and show up with authenticity and confidence.

  • Belonging doesn’t happen by accident.

    We cultivate spaces where people can bring their full selves, where differences are honored, and where truth and kindness coexist.

    Belonging requires courage—both to show up and to make room for others.

  • Growth is not linear.


    We practice curiosity, humility, honest reflection, and the willingness to try again. We honor progress, patience, and the reality that we are all works in progress.

  • Values are only meaningful when lived.

    We partner with individuals and organizations to align belief with behavior through thoughtful strategy, clear processes, and practices that reinforce trust and accountability.

  • Because every person holds inherent worth, we work to build relational and organizational cultures that address inequity and elevate dignity.

    We advocate for practices and systems that honor identity, expand opportunity, and create communities where all can thrive.

  • Transformation is a collective effort.

    When people journey together, they share strength, wisdom, creativity, and resilience. We believe community multiplies courage and sustains long-term change.

Contact Me

Interested in working together? Fill out some info, and I will be in touch shortly. I can’t wait to hear from you!