Meet Jillian

Fighting for Northampton Values

Jillian, a Western Massachusetts native, was raised in Holyoke, MA. After a tumultuous childhood marked by a mother who struggled with addiction and helping to raise her younger brother she left home at 17. Jillian immediately went to work and began providing for herself. A first generation college student, she has run two successful downtown Northampton restaurants and the Downtown Northampton Association and worked as an advocate for social change and political participation. Jillian lives in Northampton with her four year old son Henri.

Jillian’s Experience

Jillian was a Frances Perkins Scholar and graduated from Mount Holyoke College as a non-traditional student in 2017. While attending college, Jillian worked at Sylvester’s Restaurant and as a grassroots organizer. She has extensive experience as the leader of a successful local business, she started at the counter and worked her way from there to serving, hosting, and working in the kitchen. Eventually, she became the Vice President of Operations for Roberto's and Sylvester's restaurants. Jillian co-created The Sphere, securing a $200,000 grant to support female and non-binary entrepreneurs, led the Downtown Northampton Association where she helped to bring back community events like The Taste of Northampton, secured non-profit status, managed $300,000 of ARPA funding to support small businesses, led a strategic plan and developed the Downtown Business Owners Forum to bring business owners together to help alleviate barriers in real time and share and develop resources. Jillian has also worked for the New Jersey Reentry Corporation where she brought it $1.2M in state grant funding to establish and operate workforce development programs for folks returning from prison, worked for Senator Elizabeth Warren in Washington DC and Springfield, and worked to elect Alex Morse as Mayor of Holyoke where she was named Holyoke Democrat of the Year.

Jillian’s Family

Jillian and her son live in an apartment on Graves Avenue. Next year, Henri will begin kindergarten at Bridge Street School. Jillian and Henri enjoy playing at the Bridge Street playground, walking around town getting ice cream and visiting the train table, and spending time in the children’s section at the library. Jillian and Henri’s dad Chris love watching him play T-ball. Henri also loves holding signs for his mom!

Jillian Believes

Northampton is at a critical juncture where we need strategic financial management, proactive community engagement, and collaborative governance. We can strengthen public education, improve public services, prioritize operational budgets over capital projects, and improve our community’s well-being.

Jillian wants to bring the perspective of working parents, renters, and small business owners to city governance, bolster the economic opportunities for city residents, invest in our people, and ensure city policies work for the citizens of Northampton.