The Good Life – May-June 2023

ON THE COVER | JOHNATHAN JUDD
“I want to be remembered for (besides
being a good father) building a positive
community. A man who really tried
to bring people together and build an
inclusive, supportive community for
everyone.” – Johnathan Judd
Going forward, Johnathan said that we need to
become better listeners and open ourselves up to
being candid and vulnerable. He said it's important
to remember that we are all human beings who
make mistakes, so allowing for grace is important.
“Communication is talking and listening. We are
not going to develop understanding if we don’t allow
people to ask questions and say their piece,” he said.
“People are going to make mistakes especially when
they are learning and talking about race. If we don't
allow someone to speak their truth or their vulnerable
side, then we aren’t going to get anywhere.”
At Home With JJ, Harlie, And The Family
Johnathan Judd’s friends call him “JJ.”
JJ and his wife Tammi Fortney, a school psychologist
for Moorhead Public School District, met through
mutual friends during college, and they have three
children. When asked how his family would describe
him, he said one of his children said “strong-willed”,
and the other two said “loyal” and “humble.” His wife
who was close by during the conversation nodded
in approval. “I'm sure she would have more choice
words to describe me,” he said, laughing. JJ also has
one fur-baby whose name is Harlie, and they adopted
her from 4 Luv of Dog Rescue.
On the weekends, JJ is the typical dad shuttling and
following his kids around from one activity to the
next. “My weekends are spoken for. I have two sons
who play football and hockey, my middle child is in
speech and debate, and they are also a part of the
Moorhead theater program, so on any given weekend,
I am supporting one or two or three of them in their
endeavors.” He also mentioned he coaches his kid’s
football team and, during the spring, all three of his
children play lacrosse. He and his wife also find time
for each other and make date nights a priority.
JJ says he juggles his personal and professional time
through compartmentalization, and he’s very selective
about the things he takes on. “In my career, I worked
so hard to get to where I’m at and also worked to build
the community, that now, I’ve really tried to put the
primary focus on my family, physical health, mental
health and overall well-being.” JJ, who previously
lost 115 pounds, is an avid crossfitter, cyclist, and
22 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com