Jill Barr spent her formative professional years in the nonprofit sector.
In 2004, Barr began in an intake position with the USC Family Caregiver Support Center, while she was still an undergraduate at the school. (She would go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship/gerontology from USC’s Marshall School of Business in 2005.)
Barr worked in that capacity for 17 months, conducting client intake and reassessments, responding to distress phone calls, maintaining respite waitlists, developing a resource library and creating information packets for caregivers, while finishing her college degree.
In December 2005, Barr moved on to St. Francis Center, based in Los Angeles, Calif., where she served as assistant executive director until February 2011.
In that role, Barr managed daily operations, including payroll, payment of accounts, nonprofit status, control of cash receipts, financial outlook, distribution, logistics, facilities and human resources.
She ultimately became the Center’s executive director in 2011, managing its overall administration and operations. Barr was appointed to Los Angeles County’s 2nd Supervisorial District’s Empowerment Congress, where she served as an executive committee member until December 2014.
In this capacity she had the incredible opportunity to partner with her local county supervisor’s office and become part of policy driven conversations to address homelessness and poverty in South Los Angeles, which helped Barr realize where she wanted to head next in her career.
“Being involved firsthand in systemic policy changes that positively impacted an entire community was a turning point for me,” says Barr, the current assistant director of human resources with the County of Fresno, Calif.
Barr made that move when she relocated to Fresno, Calif. and focused her job search in the public sector. “Moving into government felt like the most effective and logical next step to scale that community impact.”
In March 2015, she came on board as the County of Fresno’s internal services division manager. Once again, Barr found her passion in policy change, through her involvement in a Countywide workgroup on performance management.
Barr set her sights on roles within the department of internal services, knowing it would help her amplify her impact within the County. She transitioned to her current role in July 2021.
Barr joined PSHRA in July 2023, seeking to connect with professionals navigating the same complexities in civil service systems and labor relations.
“After exploring other HR associations, I found they did not truly speak the language of the public sector,” says Barr, who also earned an MBA in business administration and management from California State University, Fresno.
“Being part of [the PSHRA] community allows us to share practical solutions and elevate public sector HR together.”
Barr’s overarching goal is to continue expanding her public sector workforce impact, hoping to one day step into a director role.
“I recognize that leadership journeys take dynamic paths. With my roots firmly planted locally, I appreciate that our region offers a vast network of government agencies where I can continue to innovate and lead.”
PSHRA has been instrumental in connecting Barr with other HR leaders nationwide, she says.
“There is nothing quite like brainstorming with the best minds in public sector HR, celebrating our wins together and bringing ideas back to our County to transform our operations and employee experience. Having that ongoing professional support empowers me to lead with confidence and vision.”
14 October 2026
Category
Stories of Impact
