Jillian Willis

Jillian Willis is deeply passionate about Black American Music. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Jazz Voice Performance from Howard University in 2018 and was a member of the premier vocal Jazz ensemble Afro Blue. In 2022, she received her Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music, with a focus consistent with her undergraduate studies. She has performed alongside artists such as Damien Sneed, New Jazz Underground, Sean Mason, Mahogany L. Browne, and Joy Guidry. In 2024, Jillian was named a semifinalist in New Music’s Next Jazz Legacy program. The following year, she was a contributing writer to The New York Times’ “Five Minutes That Will Make You Love Blue Note Records.” Alongside her role as Executive Assistant at the Louis Armstrong House Museum, Jillian currently serves as an adjunct professor at Iona University, where she teaches both lecture and performance courses. Jillian was awarded the Iona Adjunct Faculty Award in 2025.

“It is an honor to be a part of an organization that not only magnifies the force that is Louis Armstrong but also uplifts the people and core values that he held close to him. I am beyond excited to continue the work in preserving his legacy and sharing it with our community near and far.”

Jillian’s favorite Louis Armstrong song is “Where the Blues Were Born in New Orleans.”