Her Story
About Jill
My professional journey has taken me through several distinct chapters, each building on the last. I started out doing pre-law studies at UCLA, where I scored in the top 4% on the LSAT and worked as an intern for the LA District Attorney during my senior year, working with some of the same folks involved in the O.J. Simpson trial preparation. However, I was disappointed in what I saw there and decided to change my path. After graduating from UCLA, I moved into the restaurant industry with a small startup company. When the owner asked where I wanted to be in 5 years, I told him 'I want your job' - and he hired me on the spot. I rose through the ranks, opening stores in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Pacific Northwest. I rewrote manuals, earned awards for profitability and management development, and was part of the team that helped take the company public, which allowed me to make a good chunk of money on stock. I eventually ran a three-state region at the director level. When I decided I wanted a family, I took a step back and joined WSU Vancouver as an academic coordinator, where I earned my master's degree and became deeply involved in volunteer work. I served on the board of Educational Opportunities for Children and Families, the second largest non-profit in Clark County, for 13 years and chaired it for 3 years. I also co-founded the first peer mentorship program on campus and co-chaired staff and faculty development campaigns. During this time, I became a foster parent and fostered 5 kids, adopting 4 of them - children who had been moved through multiple foster homes and faced significant challenges. I won the Unsung Hero Award for the state of Washington for my work with these kids. While staying at home with them, I completed distance learning postgraduate coursework for my CFP (Certified Financial Planner) certification. After going through a divorce, I entered financial services, getting licensed with AmeriPrize, working briefly with Prudential, spending about 6 years with Merrill Lynch, and recently joining Edward Jones after successfully negotiating a counteroffer to their initial proposal. I graduated from Leadership Clark County and was awarded the Vancouver Business Journal Mover and Shaker recognition. Wherever I am, I always seem to rise up, push the envelope, and set a good example for the women around me.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jill
01What do you attribute your success to?
I look for excellence in my own work, and I try to teach and develop people around me, which has helped me become a better leader. People don't feel threatened by me - I'm not aggressive or trying to step on others to get ahead. I'm more of a person who puts my arms out and says, 'Hey, let's do this together, I think this is a good path.' I do a lot of talking and listening to people. Even now at Edward Jones, I work with two other advisors who are fairly new, and I'm always saying, 'Hey, let's try this project, we can build this this way, let's do this, what do you guys think?' It's about creating collaboration and mentorship, and being able to help everybody be successful, instead of rising above everybody.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I received came from Greg Keller, who was a head in the restaurant company I worked for. He told me, 'Jill, you work too hard. I want you to work smarter, more strategic. Work smarter, not harder.' Those words I've held onto ever since. It ties into what I tell people now - pick your path and focus on what you strategically want to do. Don't get too scattered. I'm a hard worker, yes, but I go back to his words and remember not to work harder, but to work smarter.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
There are a lot of people who will give you different pieces of advice, and really, in every place that you are, you need to be able to pick your path and work hard on that path. Make it strategic for the development of the organization that you're with, and for your own development as well. I think some people get a little scattered with too much information coming in, and they're trying to do everything. Pick your path, know what you're good at, and look for excellence in that one area. Don't try to do everything at once - focus strategically on where you can excel.
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