After graduating from Molalla Union High School in 1979, Jill earned a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in Bible and Christian Ministries from George Fox College in 1983. She then spent three years in Anchorage, Alaska, working as a flight attendant for Seair Airlines and as an insurance representative for Horace Mann Insurance. In 1986 she relocated to Vancouver, Washington, and continued her insurance career with State Farm until 1988.

From 1988 to 2005 she focused on raising her two daughters, homeschooling each of them through eighth grade. In 2012 she became certified to teach Tai Chi, completing programs in Tai Chi for Arthritis (Arthritis Foundation) and Tai Chi for Better Balance (Oregon Health Authority Fall Prevention). Since then she has taught regularly at Cascade Athletic Club – Fisher’s Landing and Firstenburg Community Center. She also instructed at Glenwood Senior Living and The Quarry from 2012 to 2020, and through Clark Community Education from 2015 to 2020.

In 2020 she joined the CCRW and has since volunteered on several campaigns while serving on the Election Integrity Team. In 2021 she became a Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) for the Republican Party and assumed the role of Chair of the Republican forum at Fairway Village.