A street lined with trees next to a tall brick building

JILL BREVIK

for Amherst Town Council

Working for a unified, thriving community rooted in justice, creative solutions, and collective impact.

VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2025

JILL'S APPROACH

Jill Brevik (she/her) has spent more than 15 years working in nonprofit and community-based organizations, bringing people together to solve problems, build capacity, and advance equity. Now, she’s ready to bring that experience and commitment to the Amherst Town Council.

Jill sees local government as the place where real change begins. From housing and education to human rights and economic justice, the decisions made at the town level reflect our shared values — and send a message to state and national leaders about who we are and what matters to us.

With experience helping under-resourced organizations grow their impact on tight budgets, Jill brings a deep understanding of how to think strategically about spending and how to align diverse groups around common goals. She knows how to navigate complexity, listen carefully, and move projects forward — even when resources are limited.

Jill doesn’t see town priorities as competing with one another. Strong public schools, paved streets, sustainable housing and local business development — they’re all connected, and progress in one area shouldn’t come at the expense of another. She’s committed to collaboration, not division.

Her work has always centered on public participation and inclusion. She’s worked alongside people from many different backgrounds and believes everyone in Amherst should have a meaningful voice in local decisions.

Jill will bring steady, thoughtful leadership to the Council — with a focus on transparency, equity, and making Amherst a desirable place for generations to come.

EMAIL JILL

Jill lives in North Amherst with her husband, who is a psychologist in town, her two children, who are students in the Fort River Caminantes program, and their charming labrador-pit bull mix Ziggy. She currently works as a nonprofit consultant and owns a small business. Jill received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Vermont and earned a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University. She is involved in many local organizing efforts including Valley Families for Palestine, which leads family-centered local actions in solidarity with Palestinian liberation, as well as Support Our Schools (SOS) Amherst.

PRIORITY AREAS

TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE

Ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency, with a focus on creating a more positive and participatory town budgeting process
Promote broader inclusion on town boards and committees
Uphold voting rights and protect access to polling places
Identify and address barriers to participation in local government, especially the Town Council
Implement changes to mechanisms for feedback, looking beyond the limitations of public comment to engage more meaningfully with residents

ACCESSIBLE & EQUITABLE HOUSING

Enforce firm affordable housing requirements in new multi-unit developments
Craft zoning and planning policies that reflect long-term community needs
Ensure that development is community-centered and benefits all residents

SAFE INFRASTRUCTURE

Immediately prioritize emergency repair and road maintenance needs
Support initiatives to create accessible sidewalks to improve safety and mobility
Advocate for improved public transportation, including expanded PVTA bus service
Work closely with leaders at Amherst higher education institutions to investigate the reasons for lack of investment in the town and share findings with residents

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

REPARATIVE JUSTICE & HUMAN RIGHTS

Attract and retain locally-owned businesses
Promote a thriving local economy through targeted support and development
Encourage culturally enriching and community-building events
Prioritize the town’s climate action, resilience, and environmental justice goals

Fund and advocate for the success of alternative emergency response services (CRESS)
Support the successful implementation of the reparations program for Black residents
Sponsor any resident-led resolutions that are centered on upholding our town's deep commitment to human rights locally, nationally, and internationally
Lead an effort to research, disclose information to the public, and ultimately help the town divest from companies that do not align with its values
Work with local immigrant rights groups to protect undocumented community members
Eliminate unnecessary fines and fees that disproportionately harm marginalized residents and students

STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Halt the de-funding of our local public schools and collaborate to build a school budget that prioritizes student needs and safety, and liveable wages and a greater investment in teachers and school staff
Immediately address emergency repair needs to keep kids safe at school starting in the 2025-26 school year
Serve as a strong voice alongside our state reps to advocate for state-level support
Work with PGOs and other citizen groups to create anti-racist schools and protect our teachers, school staff, students, and parents from all forms of harassment