In 2017, Jillisa began her journey as a social entrepreneur and community builder. Her career began as a Confidence Coach, who helped women of colour to exude confidence in the pursuit of their purpose, and transformative work across the globe. Soon after, she was invited to participate as a mentor to 200 Indigenous college students in Wollongong, Australia whom she supported through leadership training. Later that year, Jillisa was also brought out to Egypt to participate as a young leader at the World Youth Forum. Following the Canadian fall economic statement of 2018, Jillisa started her journey in the Social Finance and Social Innovation sectors through her work as the Director of Community Engagement at Social Economy Through Social Inclusion (SETSI). Jillisa’s ecosystem mobilization work raised awareness within the community about the Investment Readiness Program (IRP) and the Social Finance Fund (SFF). Through her work at SETSI Jillisa expanded her skills through the development and facilitation of capacity-building sessions, mentorship incubators, community consultations, roundtables, focus groups and anti-racism training. Now, Jillisa is the Executive Director of the Table of Impact Investor Practitioners (TIIP) where her work deepens the importance of impact in investing by advocating for the diverse deployment of Canada's Social Finance Fund while creating an intentional community of practice for social finance fund managers. She also leads a community of over 105 organizations as the Systems Collaborator of the SETSI - Solidarity Working Group (SWG) where it is her job to ensure that a community of practice is fostered to create tangible tools and policies that advance diversity, equity and inclusion as a priority for systems change. Currently, Jillisa is focused on ensuring that Canada's social finance ecosystem becomes proficient in the deployment of funds to BIPOC entrepreneurs therefore productively exercising the E in DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). As the Founder of Funding Impact, she supports entrepreneurs with Investment Readiness in order to secure funding for their ventures. Through her efforts, Jillisa continues to move the needle in social finance, demonstrating a profound commitment to advancing the top tier of the triple bottom line.As Co-Founder of House of Nine Sorority, Jillisa leads Black women in a safe space focused on gaining self-mastery and sisterhood. As of August 2024, Cohort 3 of the Sisters in Solidarity Program accelerator is facilitated to help Black women entrepreneurs with business start-ups.