Superpower: Compassion
Retired Colonel, U.S. Army and Site Coordinator, Communities In Schools
Jill Newman has spent a lifetime answering the call to serve. The first 26 years were in an Army uniform, and her next chapter has been spent helping students discover that their circumstances don’t have to define their futures.
Raised in Carters Valley, Tennessee, Newman began her military service while attending the University of Tennessee through ROTC. She eventually retired as a U.S. Army colonel. While serving at the United States Military Academy, she discovered how rewarding it was to mentor young adults, an experience that would shape her second career.
After moving to Scott Depot, she held leadership positions with the West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia Department of Transportation before realizing how much she missed working directly with young people. That realization led her to Communities In Schools, where “Mama Jill” became a trusted advocate for students at McKinley Middle School and, later, Capital High School.
Drawing on the stability of her own close-knit family, Newman creates a welcoming space where students can find food, clothing, school supplies, and, most importantly, someone who believes in them. She credits the staff at both McKinley Middle and Capital High as well as a slew of community partners for helping students who are facing homelessness and other challenges find a path forward.
Looking ahead, Newman hopes to continue serving young people. Asked what she’s most proud of, she doesn’t mention military rank, medals, or professional titles. Rather, she points to being a mother and extending that same compassion to hundreds of students who simply needed someone to believe in them.
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