Jill is C4K’s Clubhouse Coordinator!
Which is your Favorite app?
If I were to seriously think about which app has really changed my life, it would be Maps. Just imagine the places you’ve been able to go, the experiences you’ve been able to have, and the stress that you haven’t had to deal with because you’re not having to juggle a giant, hand-held paper map every time you go somewhere you’ve never been! I’m also very directionally challenged, so I really couldn’t imagine my life without my Maps app!
Favorite place to take a visitor in Charlottesville?
I recently discovered Paffles Iron and Grill and have not been able to stop recommending it to every person I meet. Their pastry waffle sandwiches are incredibly delicious, unique and you really can’t beat the prices. They also have gluten-free options at no extra cost!
What do you like most about Charlottesville?
I’ve really enjoyed how accessible nature is to pretty much everywhere. I’ve had a chance to go on some great hikes, camping trips, and I’m looking forward to getting to explore some nearby rivers and national parks.
How/why did you start working with youth?
I first started working with youth as a camp counselor at a summer camp in Maryland. I had been a camper for years, and since I moved around so much as a child, it was very much a place I called home. I was excited to build relationships with the counselors I had long admired and to create experiences and programming for other young campers who were looking to just be themselves in a place that encouraged and modeled authenticity, goofiness, and unbridled fun.
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
I would tell myself to work hard at maintaining long-lasting friendships and relationships. Since I moved to a different country every few years, I became really good at ‘goodbyes’ and not so great at ‘see you laters.’ I think that’s probably one of the most impactful things that technology allows us to do today, and such an important aspect of personal growth, success, and happiness. Hold onto those life-long friendships!
Best part of working at C4K?
I’m excited to be working in a space that youth choose to come to; I’ve really enjoyed meeting such a diverse group of passionate, interesting, and funny members as well as adults. I also love to design open-ended educational programming for outside the classroom, which is exactly what this place is all about.
Dogs or cats?
I’m unfortunately allergic to cats, which makes this question easy. But we used to have a dog who was, for all intents and purposes, another sibling. She moved around with us her whole life; probably one of the best-traveled dogs out there!
Comfort food?
Motts fruit snacks. There’s no question about it. Unfortunately, I can’t get them very often at the grocery store because I have zero self-control around them…no joke. I’ll eat a 20-pack in two days if you let me!
Favorite childhood television show?
We didn’t have a T.V. around when I was growing up, but we would occasionally get to watch an old, classic VHS. To this day, my favorite movie is the musical ‘Showboat.’
Where are you from?
I mostly grew up in Central America and Africa, but I just moved here from Minnesota. I also attended high school near Washington D.C., so it’s fun to be back in a state that I’ve lived in before.
Tell us a fun fact about you.
I’ve gotten to ride an ostrich! Ostriches don’t actually put their heads into holes to ‘hide’ but they do believe that you can’t see them if they can’t see you. They stay really calm even when you get onto their backs if they can’t actually see you (i.e. a breathable sack over their heads), but as soon as they SEE that you’re there, that’s when they start to run like nothing you’ve ever experienced!
What did you want to be “when you grew up?”
Being a librarian always sounded like so much fun. My mom used to do a lot of programming in libraries and I loved to spend time in those spaces. Especially as a child, I was a huge bookworm. I still love to go to libraries and bookstores. My recent obsession is finding beautifully illustrated children’s books–I’ve got a growing collection at home!