Helping others has always been a cause that Northern Essex Community College Disability Services Specialist, Jillian Knox, has deeply valued from a young age, as well as throughout her career working with special needs students in various situations and settings to help them achieve their goals and overcome obstacles.
Knox, a native of Salem, MA, first attended college at the University of New Hampshire where she later obtained her Bachelor’s in Science. Following that, she went to the University of Massachusetts Boston where she obtained her Master’s in Education. “At first, I thought I wanted to work with little ones, but as I thought more about it, I knew I wanted to work with students that had some type of disadvantage whether it be low income, language barriers, or students with disabilities,” Knox stated.
Since graduating from college, Knox has held a number of positions before coming to Northern Essex including working with low income individuals at the University of Massachusetts Boston, working in the Human Resources Department at a large law practice, and working as a school consular with students with various types of learning disabilities like Autism and various psychiatric conditions.
Although Knox enjoyed the school counseling position, she found it very difficult to separate her work life from her personal life. “I found it difficult to take care of myself off the job, and eventually just got burnt out after hearing about many devastating situations,” Knox explained.
Following her departure from the school counseling position, she found work as the MACEI Coordinator at Northern Essex, a program that helps and provides opportunities for students with various types of developmental, learning, and intellectual disabilities.
After filling this role, she later transferred within the department to her current position as Disability Services Specialist, a job she very much enjoys. “It’s a very respectable place to work,” said Knox in describing her office atmosphere in the Learning Accommodations Center. Knox explained that her colleagues are very supportive and respectful of each other’s opinions and ideas. She later explained that she enjoys seeing her students succeed in terms of graduating and moving on in their education, or seeing them overcome any academic barriers they may encounter along the way. “This is the best job I’ve ever had,” she stated.
Knox, who currently resides in Haverhill, MA, is married and has a three-year old daughter, who she enjoys spending time with outside of the office. Knox has many hobbies she enjoys outside of the office as well including gardening, cleaning and organizing her home, interior design, crafting, going for walks, being at the beach in the summertime, reading, camping, attending concerts, but above all enjoys being outside in the springtime, and seeing her plants sprout from the ground.
Additionally, Knox has two siblings that she stays in frequent contact with, especially her sister who lives in New Jersey and has two daughters.
Knox is also a huge music fan. She enjoys listening to anything from Nirvana and Pearl Jam, to Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty, to anything from the 80’s. She also likes more recent music including anything from the Weeknd and wrapper, Lizzo.
