Supporter Spotlight: Jill Macri

Committed volunteer and donor supports Canal Alliance team in strengthening programs

Jill and her husband, Tony Macri.

Jill Macri has been a Canal Alliance volunteer since 2021 and a donor since 2022. No stranger to Marin County, Jill grew up and lives in Mill Valley with her husband Tony and their two children, ages six and eight.  

After moving away for college, Jill returned and spent three years working in San Rafael. During that time, she became aware of the services provided by Canal Alliance from Latino friends who were using Canal Alliance’s services. This inspired Jill to give something back to the community that is close to her heart. 

The owner of a consulting firm that supports technology companies in improving their recruiting practices and bringing diversity onto teams, Jill brings a wreath of expertise to her volunteer role at Canal Alliance, having also worked eight years in Latin America and Italy.  

“I think the services Canal Alliance provides are so essential,” she said, stressing how the organization is vital for community resilience. Jill also understands the experience of living in a foreign land personally, and the work that is involved in picking up on cultural differences and building a life in a new place. So it felt like a natural extension of her professional and personal interests for Jill when she joined Canal Alliance’s Adult Education program as an ESL Teacher Aide.  

According to Jill, she was immediately struck by the excellence of the teaching team and curriculum. “I was blown away by the quality of the teaching and the program,” she recalls. She had the chance to work closely with Canal Alliance’s Kate Rider, who oversees the program with “terrific attention to detail.” Jill described the experience as high-touch and engaging, emphasizing, “The students were also amazing, because they came from different backgrounds and would come after work to learn. I loved it!” 

Jill’s love for the program harkens back to her core belief in the transformational power of education and mentorship. What Jill brings to Canal Alliance doesn’t end at volunteering. She has also become instrumental in supporting College to Career program participants, drawing on her expertise to offer networking guidance and more.  

A donor too, Jill says that when she and her husband Tony decided on their philanthropic goals, they agreed that Canal Alliance should be at the top of their list. “We immediately thought of Canal Alliance,” she says, and the two have been donating annually since 2022. 

Jill says she has consistently been impressed with the professionalism of the Canal Alliance, stating, “I have never done anything with Canal Alliance that I am not impressed by. It just feels like a well-run organization, an organization that sets a high bar.”  

Jill says she is especially fond of Canal Alliance’s student scholarship program, which provides financial support to young people wanting to elevate themselves through higher education and will continue to support it.