Leadership

Jill Jester brings strong, relevant skills in areas essential to effective council service. Her attention to detail, knowledge of law, contracts and agreements, and her ability to find optimum solutions to thorny problems are borne of her training as an attorney and mediator.

Before going to law school later in life, Jill waited tables, performed improv and sketch comedy in Chicago, worked in HR at IBM, and wrote for and acted in theater, television, and film.

Jill’s diverse life experiences have helped her develop the ability to listen, patience to understand and instincts to lead.

PROFESSIONAL

Denton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Chair, 2019-2020

At the beginning of Covid, Jill led the Chamber through a fast transition into a new role as the conduit by which Denton County and the City of Denton pushed out essential pandemic-related information to Denton businesses.

Under her guidance, the Chamber also initiated a task force on (1) how the organization can better serve minority businesses and (2) ways all businesses can better serve minority populations.

Jill oversaw initiation of a Director Handbook and improved alignment of the Chamber’s calendar with the City’s fiscal year, for more efficient use of funds.

Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents, 2018-current, Chair
appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

During Jill’s tenure, the Board began and completed the groundwork to become a System, rather than a university with satellite facilities. The transition was completed in 2021 with passage by the Texas Legislature of SB 1126, which created the Texas Woman’s University System by establishing three campuses, in Denton, Dallas and Houston. TWU is the seventh university System in the state and, in 2021, was the most affordable comprehensive public university in Texas.

Jill served as Vice-Chair, then Chair of the TWU Finance and Audit Committee prior to serving as Chair of the Board of Regents.

On her watch, Baker Field was named after highly respected former TWU softball coach and Denton resident Dianne Baker.

Jill was selected as a Minerva Fellow by the TWU Center for Women in Government, which is part of the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership. As part of the honor, she has educated students on appointment to government service and formation of successful business entities. The only other recipients are Appellate Judge Lee Gabriel (ret.) and former Texas Rep. Myra Crownover.

NOTE: If elected, Jill will resign, per state law, from the TWU Board of Regents.

DATCU Board of Directors, 2013-2017, Chair

  • Under Jill’s leadership, DATCU’s 52,000 sq. ft., two-story corporate administrative headquarters in Corinth completed construction and opened in 2016.
  • DATCU made a $100K seed donation to the City of Denton Parks Foundation for construction of the Eureka Two playground at South Lakes Park, which opened in 2016.The effort began as replacement of 10-year-old equipment found to contain arsenic, an ingredient of a pesticide used to treat the play structure’s original wood. However, the community-based effort soon mushroomed, and a much-improved and -expanded, accessible playground was built.

KERA, Board of Directors, 2019 – March 2024

  • Jill has served on Executive, Finance and Audit committees and on the Committee on Directors.
  • During her tenure, KERA purchased the Denton Record-Chronicle as part of the organization’s effort to preserve local journalism. KERA’s expansion into newspaper publishing also seeks to broaden KERA’s news coverage area to include Metroplex communities outside Dallas.

University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs, LBJ Women’s Campaign School, Board of Directors, 2022-present

The mission of the non-partisan LBJ Women’s Campaign School is to train leaders to run for office or manage campaigns, regardless of political affiliation, with the goal of increasing the number of women elected to public office. The Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership at TWU provides competitive grants for Texas residents accepted into the school.

Prior to being asked to serve on the board, Jill enrolled in the Campaign School, completing the program in 2022. As part of the training, each student is assigned a mentor; Jill’s mentor was State Rep. Linda Koop, a former member of the Dallas City Council.

Denton County Bar Association, Real Estate, Probate & Trust Law Section Chair (2023-current)

Jill has worked hard post-Covid to build attendance at meetings and ensure legal education opportunities for Bar members in the County. In addition, she networks with section chairs of Bar associations in Dallas, Collin and Tarrant counties about new ideas and programs that will benefit Denton County attorneys.

CITY OF DENTON

Chief of Police Advisory Board, Chair (2021-2023)

Jill served as the citizen board’s inaugural chair, and was unanimously re-elected chair the following year by an ideologically diverse board, thanks to the reputation she earned for fairness, respect, and openness to ideas. Because the board was new, she spent time researching other cities’ advisory boards and met with those responsible for security at Denton ISD.

While ensuring meetings were orderly, Jill chaired the board through training with the City Attorney on how unions work and the relationship between the City and a union. In addition, the board observed de-escalation improvisations, especially those involving family conflicts, and learned about active shooter training.

Denton Economic Development Partnership Board (EDPB), Chair

Jill was the Chamber of Commerce appointee to the board, which provides economic development policy guidance and makes recommendations to both the City Council and the Denton Chamber of Commerce.

Downtown Economic Development Committee, Chair

The Downtown ED committee is a subcommittee of the EDPB. Its scope of interest is the Square and surrounding area as a source of funding for downtown businesses.  It reviews grant applications and makes recommendations about potential recipients.

Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) No. 2 Board, Chair

The TIRZ No. 2 Board is an advisory board which receives reports and makes recommendations on the administration of the Zone, which is the largest industrially zoned area within the City.

DENTON COMMUNITY SERVICE

Health Services of North Texas Capital Campaign, Chair

­Denton Festival Foundation (Denton Arts & Jazz), Board of Trustees

Emcee:
• Denton Black Chamber of Commerce, Annual Gala
• United Way of Denton County, Dancing With Our Stars
• American Cancer Society, You’re Beautiful Luncheon
• Our Daily Bread, Volunteers’ Appreciation Dinner
• Friends of the Family, An Evening of Triumph
• Court Appointed Child Advocates, Night of Elegance “Take a Stand”
• Women In Commerce, Denton Chamber of Commerce, Annual Luncheon

Denton Benefit League, member

Denton Federation of Women’s Clubs, Ariel Club, member

Greater Denton Arts Council, member

Theater Denton, member