Jenny Gillis

The daughter of two Howard County educators, Jenny was passionate about launching her own three children into early childhood adventures which would lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning. She spent close to a decade engaged with one or another of her children at Mt. Hebron Nursery School, finding unparalleled experiences for each. Jenny began her work career as assistant to the president of Mercantile Mortgage after obtaining a degree in sociology and communications. During her time there, she gave in to her love of design and enrolled in the Maryland Institute College of Art to study interior design. Career aspirations were put aside temporarily in order to guide her own children through their earliest years.  Life experiences (marriage, motherhood, renovation, and the new build of several houses) only expanded upon the love of home and eventually led Jenny to Homewood Interiors, where she has spent the last eleven years interpreting environments which uniquely reflect their owners.

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In addition to an evolving career and growing children, Jenny found particular joy in volunteer opportunities within the school communities in which her children were involved. PTA board and class representative positions, weekly parent volunteer forays into classrooms, project coordinator challenges, and special event volunteer participation in both public and private school settings allowed her to support the growth of her own children and the family's journey.

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Jenny brings a well-rounded perspective to Little Oak, as she has seen the impact of a stellar preschool program through her eyes as a young mother and also as a parent now on the cusp of sending her first-born off to college.  With retrospect comes insight. Fundamental to her belief is that in the small, tentative steps of the three-year-old, Little Oak lays the groundwork for the eighteen-year-old who walks away confidently toward life beyond high school. Jenny and her family currently reside in Baltimore County, and when she’s not envisioning beautiful spaces as a designer at Homewood, Jenny finds inspiration and renewal in walks on the beach with her family and dogs.