Jill Hawley is a seasoned executive in education policy and philanthropy, known for her steadfast commitment to advancing educational equity. Appointed to the Fort Lewis College Board of Trustees in 2025, Hawley brings a rich background in public education reform, strategic grant-making, and systems change.
Hawley currently serves as the Chief Impact Officer at Gary Community Ventures, where she directs investments to improve youth success, school readiness, and economic mobility for Colorado families. Her leadership helps align policy, philanthropy, and community impact to drive measurable, lasting change.
From 2016 to 2022, she was a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, managing over $60 million in grants to support college and career readiness for Black, Latino, and low-income students. She also led the K-12 team’s internal diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Hawley’s public sector experience includes roles as Associate Commissioner at the Colorado Department of Education and Associate Chief of Academics at Denver Public Schools. She oversaw major statewide reforms in early literacy, educator effectiveness, and standards implementation. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at national nonprofit AdvancED and served in Colorado’s Legislative Council.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she earned first-year honors.
Hawley views her service on the 麻豆免费高清无砖码区Board as an opportunity to help strengthen the college’s national leadership in Indigenous education, equity, and reconciliation. She is excited to support FLC’s bold vision for student success and institutional transformation.