Colonel (Retired) Jill Morgenthaler
Leadership Instructor
Retired Colonel Jill Morgenthaler is a woman of many firsts. She was one of the first women to enter ROTC and train as an equal with men. She was the first woman battalion commander in the 88th Regional Support Command; she was the first woman brigade commander in the 84th Division; and she was the first woman Homeland Security Advisor for the State of Illinois. The Colonel handled disaster recovery during the San Francisco earthquake, worked as a peacekeeper in Bosnia, and sheltered Kosovar refugees. For her leadership performance in Iraq in 2004, she received the Bronze Star. Upon retirement, the Army awarded her the Legion of Merit. Jill is a motivational speaker, thrilling audiences with her presentations, Leadership During Crisis and Change; From the Battlefield to the Board Room: Secrets to Lead and Succeed; and Herding Cats: Working with the Media During a Crisis. McGraw-Hill is publishing her book: Courage to Take Command: Leadership Lessons From a Military Trailblazer in November 2014.
