Jillian Copeland (CORE 2013)
Founder, Main Street Connect, The Diener School & The Soulfull Cafe; Owner, Bethesda Magazine 

Jillian was an educator, staff trainer and technology coordinator for Montgomery County Public Schools for ten years prior to founding The Diener School in 2007. Since Diener’s inception, they have educated more than 250 students and their families.  Jillian served as the head of school from 2007 to 2013, board of trustees chair for the following 6 years and now serves on the board of trustees.

In 2014, Jillian created Teens Like Us, a weekend and summer inclusive social program designed to meet the needs of teens with disabilities in the Greater Washington area.

Jillian’s latest and greatest endeavor, Main Street, is a joint initiative with her husband Scott. Main Street is a model and a mindset, the first of its kind inclusive and affordable apartment building and community center serving people of all abilities.  Main Street opened the doors to residents in the summer of 2020 and currently provide membership opportunities to over 250 resident and non-resident members.

Jillian feels honored and humbled to work with vulnerable populations. She has volunteered in many different capacities for several organizations ─ including CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Montgomery County, Children’s National Medical Center, and Bullis’ 5K Buddy Run benefitting special needs children and adults in our local community.

Jillian also proudly  served on The University of Maryland’s Transition Hub, the disability inclusion committee of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, The Developmental Disabilities Administration Supported Living Advisory Committee and Jubilee’s Housing Task Force. Currently Jillian is a board member at The Diener School and serves as the Co-Chair of  the Maryland Inclusive Housing Montgomery County Chapter.

Jillian received the 2009 Community Leadership Award from Jewish Women International (JWI), the Abe Polin Humanitarian Award from the Bender JCC in 2016, and The 2018 Bullis School’s Community Leadership Award. Also in 2018 she and her husband Scott received the Melvin Cohen Humanitarian Award from The Jewish Foundation for Group Homes and in March of 2020, they received Adapt’s Humanitarian Leadership Award which was to be presented in New York City. She is also a proud graduate of Leadership Montgomery’s Class of 2013.

Jillian’s passion, along with service to vulnerable populations, is to help people rise. She is a highly energetic and authentic speaker motivating people of all stages, ages and backgrounds to find their purpose and passion.  Jillian and her husband Scott reside in Rockville, 2 miles from the innovative Main Street building, and are the proud parents of Danny(27), Jack(25), Nicol(23) and Ethan(21).