Jillian is a creative filled poet photographer film maker violin player creating a space where all levels and goals of english are supported. She was born in Denver, Colorado. And at the at of seven, moved to the country with ducks and horses, but went to school in town at a private high school. During this time she was riding horses competitively, developing black and white photography by hand, playing soccer, playing Texas Style fiddle, and a first violinist in the Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra.

After graduating high school, she was one out of one hundred women in the country to be accepted to the all-women Scripps College in Claremont, California, and then returned to the University of Denver to complete her Undergraduate Degree in English and Creative Writing and graduated Cum Laude.

She worked in several non-profits, including one for mental health and another for volunteerism, before returning to graduate school to pursue her great love for literature, language, and writing. She completed her Master’s in Fine Arts in Poetry from New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire.

In 2012, she chose to enter internationally as a world citizen living and teaching abroad. Over the next 13 years, she lived and taught in Bundang, South Korea, for 1.5 years. Bangkok, Thailand, off and on for 8 years. Munich, Germany, twice for 2 years. Beijing, China, for one year, Online worldwide for two years, and Online and locally in Portugal for 1.5 years. She obtained her CELTA in Bangkok in 2013. And she received her teacher training pre-k-3rd grade from Moreland University and the Australian International School in 2022. This is also when she received her second Master’s in Education with an emphasis on Global Education. Her thesis was centered on literature, third culture kids, and intrinsic motivation.

Jillian’s experience includes undergraduate and graduate-level English as a Second Language, Literature, Creative Writing, and Test Preparation. She also has experience working in corporate businesses, involving trade-specific training upon request. She has experience working in International Schools and Montessori in pre-school, primary, secondary, and advanced literary programs. Jillian has continued to play music with community members wherever she lives and gives beginner violin lessons. She is a published poet and the founder and editor of womens quarterly conversation, a literary journal that highlights the diverse voices of women writers in the 21st century. And also Cultural Compass English Substack, which is compiled of mini-lessons and articles. Please sign up for these, below.

Jillian’s poems and photography have appeared in Verse, Ping Pong, delirious hem, Homestead, Barnstorm, Otoliths, ditch, poets and artists, among other publications. Her cinepoems have been featured at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, Bangkok Poetry Events, and Prick of the Spindle. She plays the fiddle with local musicians. Her chapbooks, in the process of being heard & say kitty, kitty are out from Dancing Girl Press. In October, ’24, she published her first full-length poetry book, day notes of secrets, out from Atmosphere Press. Jillian currently lives with her partner and son, and two Thai cats in Lisbon, Portugal.