It isn’t easy to travel and play poker for a living. The amount of time, energy, and money that is spent trying to make a living in what can be a lonely setting takes it toll on players. Julie Anna Cornelius spends more than her fair share of hours traveling from her home in Chicago to play in events across the country.

She sees all time zones throughout the year as she travels for cash games and tournament series. A former corporate flight attendant, Cornelius is no stranger to putting on the miles over the course of the year. What separates her from her fellow frequent fliers is her co-pilot and husband, Darin Dobler.

Dobler works in global medical affairs in oncology for a large pharmaceutical company and has a busy schedule of his own. The corporate world of pharmaceuticals and the poker world rarely hit the middle of the Venn diagram but Dobler is fond of the game thanks to his relationship with Cornelius.

The two met as undergrads at University of California-Irvine and have used their mutual love of travel to balance their diverse work schedules and support each other’s profession.

In the mid-2000s, Cornelius took a job as a corporate flight attendant and private chef for a well-known casino executive, which lead her to spending weeks and even months at a time in Macau. The long-distance aspect of her job put some strain on their relationship but Cornelius says it was the catalyst for the two of them to be ready for when Cornelius embarked on poker full-time.

“Darin and I learned how to balance a long distance relationship, which was at times a lot more stressful and meant being apart a lot longer than poker has ever required. He flew to Macau for two weeks to visit me during a particularly long two-month work assignment and even played a little cash with me,” said Cornelius. “He grew accustomed to me living in a completely opposite time zone from him, working in an incredibly stressful environment, but that job really prepared us both for my transition to playing poker full-time. I think poker is a lot easier on our relationship than aviation ever was.”

Dobler is on the road often for his job as well. At the beginning of the year, the couple looks at upcoming medical conferences and tournament stops and try to see when they can travel to see each other. Once Cornelius decided to move on to poker as a living, Dobler knew he would have to travel in order to see her play. Though he did not initially have much experience of being around poker, Dobler quickly grew to appreciate the game and his wife’s new work environment.

“I really love traveling to see Jules play. In addition to meeting new people and seeing old friends, it’s a chance for me to support her doing something she loves. I’m always learning more and more about the game and it’s great to see her continue to improve her game over the years as well. Even if I can get out to a tournament for just the weekend, it’s really worth it.”

Cornelius considers herself fortunate to have a partner as supportive as Dobler which she says helps pick her up during tough times and also to keep a positive balance in her life.

“Darin is definitely my biggest supporter and encourager and it’s always amazing having him on my rail, and it doesn’t hurt that he usually has a Starbucks delivery in hand or can secure a dinner spot during a super-rushed break. Sometimes seemingly small things like bringing me a coffee or just giving me a quick hug and a few words of encouragement are everything I need to get me past playing a hand poorly, taking a bad beat or just helping to propel me to the end of the day to bag chips.”

Already in 2017, Dobler has made trips to Tulsa and Omaha for the RunGood Series to support Cornelius, a RunGood pro, and her “poker family.” Like Cornelius, Dobler appreciates being able to separate himself from his work life and has come to embrace the social atmosphere at those events.

“Since she joined the RunGood team, I’ve had such a blast getting to know and spending time with that great group of people. Being at a tournament is so vastly different from my work atmosphere so it’s a great break from the stress and focus of my job. I really love what I do, but just like anything you dedicate yourself to, we all need an occasional break.”

Cornelius expects to put in a packed schedule during the summer and is excited to have Dobler by her side for as much time as his schedule allows. The two are always planning their next trip and already have their eyes set on next year’s Aussie Millions along with their “bucket list” destination.

“Traveling is definitely our favorite thing to do together and we’re always plotting, planning, and saving for our next trip. We celebrated a big birthday for Darin in Dubai and the Maldives a few years ago, and we think our next really big bucket list trip is going to be Antarctica. It’s the only continent neither of us have ever visited.”