Founder

Advocate & Mother

Jill Montes is a biological, bonus, and foster adoptive mother to ten children, a wife, a domestic-violence survivor, and a lifelong advocate for families navigating abuse and the family-court system. Her own experience inside that system shaped a clear calling: to protect children, empower parents, and reform the institutions meant to keep them safe. Professional Background: Holding a B.A. in Psychological & Brain Sciences, Jill has worked as a child-behavior therapist, a Screen Actors Guild actress, and for more than fifteen years as a foster and adoptive parent in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties. In 2021 she was honored as San Diego’s Resource Parent of the Year for her dedication to reunifying children with protective family members and sustaining lifelong bonds with those she’s served. A Voice for Reform: Her personal struggle for justice led her to legislative advocacy and to collaboration with a national network of survivors, researchers, and reformers. Out of this work came Advancing Justice in Family Law: Best Practices for Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence and Their Children, a groundbreaking guide for family-law professionals.

Jill works closely with lawmakers to promote trauma-informed, safety-centered policy. Grounded in Faith & Service: Through court-watching and survivor mentorship, Jill and her colleagues have built a community of courage that offers both guidance and solidarity to protective parents. The Shield Project grew from that same commitment, carrying forward the message that defines all of Jill’s work: “You are never alone.” Grounded in faith and family, Jill continues to serve her community while helping manage the family’s local business. Her life reflects the same principle she teaches others — that healing, justice, and love can coexist, and that advocacy is an act of hope.