For most of her professional career, Jill Klein has been on the cutting edge of innovation and technology – from working with professionals in the financial tech industry, to mentoring the rising generation of business entrepreneurs.
Now as a member of Sharing DC, she says she enjoys working with a new kind of innovator – the ‘social-preneurs’.
“Sharing DC has introduced me to people from across the District who have identified the gaps in our community and are finding bold, creative and collective ways to step up and fix it,” Jill says.
From The Boardroom to the Classroom: Raising the Bar for Women in FinTech
Jill’s introduction to innovation began in 1980, when she graduated with a degree in Data Science during a time when technological advances in personal computing and telecommunications were rapidly transforming the field. After working on the large-scale automation of financial services for JP Morgan in New York for several years, she married her husband and relocated to the DC, where she worked for Riggs Bank and IBM.
Eventually, she made her way into higher education - where she spent 20+ years at American University’s Business School, launching hybrid and online classes – with a particular focus on adult and returning learners.
“As a college professor, I get to see the future before you do,” Jill shares. “I get a chance to interact with the future employees and entrepreneurs before anybody else. It’s an incredibly humbling and exciting experience!”
In the 2000s, Jill joined Women in Technology – a professional organization designed to build networks for women – especially those working in STEM and technology fields. She created a program called ‘The First Five Years’ to help rising young professionals (both women and men) navigate the workplace and advocate for their personal needs.
Jill and fellow researchers that helped spark the 20/20 Women on Boards movement in 2013
“I love being part of the women business collaborative – initiatives where women and their allies bring other women up,” Jill says.
She helped spark 20/20 Women on Boards – a national campaign to increase the percentage of women on U.S. company boards to 20% or greater by the year 2020. (The goal was successfully reached in 2017. Organizers have since raised the goal to 50% by the year 2050 and rebranded to 50-50 Women on Boards).
“When you’re teaching technology at a business school, your goal is to help students think outside the box – to unlock their creativity and innovation, so they can change the world,” Jill says. “Whether they’re shattering a glass ceiling or pioneering a new technology that will revolutionize an industry – your goal as an instructor is to help them recognize that potential.”
Investing in ‘Social-preneurs’ through Sharing
In 2022, Jill left DC for a unique opportunity - serving as the Interim President at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. There she gained a deep appreciation for how community members come together to address diverse opportunities and challenges.
“It made me aware of the gaps that exist in my own community,” Jill recalls. “I knew that when I came back to DC, I wanted to get more involved and find a way to make a difference.”
That’s when she ran into Stacey Murchison, Chair of the DC Chapter of 50-50 Women on Boards, member of The Community Foundation’s Advisory Board in Montgomery County, and a long-time friend of Jill Klein.
“Stacey told me all about the work that she was doing with Sharing Montgomery – and then she said, ‘You need to join Sharing DC!’”
After Stacey introduced her to Tonia Wellons, Dr. Marla Dean, and the Sharing DC team, Jill knew that she had found the perfect opportunity to learn more about her community and give back at the same time.
“I am blown away by the commitment and caring that these nonprofits have for the communities they serve,” Jill shares. “It’s such a treat to listen to their stories, the passion that comes with them, the humility that they bring – it inspires me to uplift them so they can keep uplifting those around them.”
One particularly memorable moment came when a nonprofit partner delivered a report on how they had utilized the funding they had received through Sharing. "It hadn’t even been 6 months since they were funded and they had already done so much," Klein recalls. "It was wonderful to hear from her and see how Sharing can have such a big impact in such a short period of time.”
Beyond connecting with community organizations, Jill values the learning that comes from her fellow Sharing DC members. "It makes me feel good that in spite of what’s going on around us here in DC, there are still so many people who remain focused on caring for others," she says admiringly. "The breadth of experience that the people on the committee bring is inspiring."
“For me, learning through Sharing is not only about the groups that we look at and fund, but the people who are sitting next to us as we make these decisions.”
This diversity of perspective has expanded Jill’s thinking about whom she might invite to be a part of Sharing DC with her: "Who are some of the people in my sphere who share my values, but bring a different lens to those values, that I can bring to this table?"
Redefining Philanthropy: Time, Talent, and Treasure
For Jill, true philanthropy encompasses more than financial contributions.
"Philanthropy has a bigger meaning; it has to have a broader definition because it includes time, talent, and treasure," she says. "Ever since I’ve been involved with Sharing, my husband and I have had more meaningful conversations about how we can be more intentional with where we put our time and what our philanthropic legacy looks like."
'Commodore' Jill Klein off the coast of Cape Cod, MA, where she volunteers with the Cape Cod Sailing Association's 'Learn to Sail' Program.
This includes the times of the year when Jill isn’t living in the DMV. An avid sailor, ‘Commodore’ Jill spends much of her summer months in Cape Cod, MA, where she volunteers with her local Sailing Association to teach local kids from lower-income families how to sail.
“It’s a great way that I can give back to the community, while doing something that I love,” Jill shares.
While she doesn’t anticipate donning her sailing cap back in the DMV any time soon, Jill says she looks forward to using Sharing as an opportunity to learn more about the organizations doing work in other areas that she’s passionate about such as workforce development and women empowerment.
“It’s important to support the place where you live,” Jill says. “Sharing DC provides a platform for me to not only give back but to learn about ways that I can give more.”
Want to get involved? The Sharing DC Fund Committee welcomes new members!
Contact Isabel Spake ([email protected]) to find out more about how you can be a part of this impactful fund!