Jillian started learning her first second language- Spanish- in junior high in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  It was love at first “hola!”  From there she continued on to German in high school and college and then French including a summer in Quebec at the University of Laval.  She majored in all 3 languages, graduating with a B.A. from Northern Illinois University in 1988.  After a move to New Jersey in 1989, Jillian spent 28 years in education, teaching everything from exploratory to AP courses.  After adopting her daughter, Evie, from China in 2006 with her husband Paul, she went on to tackle Mandarin Chinese with two intensive in-country programs through Rutgers University and eventually earned a fourth teaching certificate and taught Chinese as well.  Jillian finished an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Montclair State University and pursued additional graduate studies in educational administration, earning a supervisor’s and a principal’s certificate.  Jillian finished her public school career as a director of curriculum and instruction.  She retired from public school education in 2019 to move back to Wisconsin with her family where her daughter Evie attended YIHS.  Jillian taught an Intermediate/Advanced French class in the 2022-23 academic year and is currently teaching two Intermediate Spanish classes in the 2023-24 academic year.  She enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with family, friends and pets and has recently begun writing poetry.