Illinois' NRCS Employee Vignette

Jill Keeton, District Conservationist
Jacksonville, Illinois

From the moment you meet Jill, you experience her up beat, positive, can-do-attitude. She is intelligent, articulate and works effectively with people. She is a conservationist with a tremendous passion for sustaining the viability of agriculture and for helping the stewards of the land address the natural resource concerns on their property. As an NRCS District Conservationist, Jill effectively manages NRCS operations in the Jacksonville and Winchester Field Offices. As a result of her leadership in FY 2007, NRCS established EQIP contracts that will provide cost share financial assistance to landowners totaling $447,029 and $286,281 in Morgan and Scott Counties respectively.

Having been with the agency for just over a decade, Jill also demonstrates a passion for Outreach efforts as well, including providing financial and technical assistance on agricultural operations involving grazing livestock, confined livestock, forest land, drainage water management and so much more.

Jill values and places a high priority on the people she serves and works with, making support and professional development of fellow employees and partners a priority. Jill provides tremendous insights for the good of Illinois NRCS while serving on important statewide committees.

According to Jill, “It is exciting for me as a District Conservationist to see employees advance in their careers and know I played a vital role in establishing good conservation ethics that they will continue to use in order to help people help the land. I just hope that once they are a District Conservationist, they show the same motivation and enthusiasm that I share with them today.”

Jill is especially proud that she has successfully managed field offices in two counties field offices with high workloads without compromising quality while balancing life at home with a young, active family. Jill demonstrations a passion in all that she does.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.