Jill Parker

FCE Board Member

Community Volunteer

Jill Parker has worked in marketing, strategic planning, and development in the private and non-profit sectors. An active community volunteer, she focuses on organizations and issues in education and reproductive health.   She has served on numerous boards, including Menlo School, the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation, which she chaired, and the Menlo Park Library Foundation. Jill holds a BA in East Asian Studies (China) from Yale University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.  

Jill shared her personal interest in FCE: “I have long been interested in education and the critical role it plays in preparing young people to lead productive, engaged lives in our increasingly complex world. I loved school and have been fortunate to be able to continue pursue my love of learning, both formally and informally. While raising my three sons, I was deeply involved in their school environments, leading the foundation for the elementary public school district, managing parent education, and serving on the Menlo School board, where I focused on strategic planning, among other initiatives. While navigating high school, college admissions, and the challenges of transitioning to a more independent university environment, my children had the benefit of two parents who were familiar with these institutions and processes. That process further illuminated for me the stark educational inequities that exist, and the need to find ways to provide the resources, scaffolding and support to enable all students to successfully navigate these paths. Based on those I have met and what I have learned about FCE to date, it appears that FCE has a robust model for engaging with students and their families on a long-term basis to not only maximize graduation rates, but also to build relationships and create a community for these students.  I like the idea that FCE does not feel the Silicon Valley impetus to scale dramatically but is rather focused on the quality of the services it provides, and is seeking to find ways to enrich the student experience.  Serving on the board of FCE would allow me the opportunity to continue to support students in a meaningful way and to help FCE’s first generation students achieve their educational goals.”