Jill Ackers is a nationally recognized educator, learning-space strategist, and author with nearly three decades of experience spanning K-12 schools, higher education, and global professional development.

Her career began in Vail, CO, as a mathematics teacher and technology specialist, where she leveraged her CCNA and MCSE certifications to lead school network management and K-8 technology instruction – an early indicator of her ability to bridge learning, innovation, and systems design.

In Dallas, TX, Ackers served as a founding member of a K-12 International Baccalaureate STEM school, where she shaped culture, curriculum, and systems as IB Coordinator, guiding the school to successful IB World School authorization. She later contributed to the launch of Southern Methodist University’s first urban-principal master’s program and founded the first dual-language, Project-Based Learning (PBL) elementary school in the city, serving as its Elementary Director.

Her impact extends throughout higher education, where she has designed and facilitated PBL courses for faculty at North Carolina Central University and Wilkes University, and spent three years at Sam Houston State University training professors to redesign courses and crosswalks to become more experiential and student-centered.

Internationally, Ackers has delivered educator workshops and strategic consulting across nearly every U.S. state and in 24 countries. Her work includes extensive experience with a prominent global architectural firm, where she was instrumental in reimagining learning environments, facilitating community engagement, and leading educational visioning processes.

Ackers holds a B.S. in Applied Learning and Development and Elementary Education, an M.Ed. in School Leadership and Administration, and earned the Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP) certification in 2021. Her book, Developing Natural Curiosity Through Project-Based Learning: Five Strategies for the PreK-3 Classroom, solidified her national reputation for innovative instructional design.

As the Director of Education at VS America, Ackers leads research-driven initiatives focused on transforming learning environments and strengthening educator practice. She is the creator of the Spatial Proficiencies framework, a research-informed approach that integrates instructional design, movement, and furniture adaptability to elevate instructional impact. She collaborates with architects, interior designers, and global furniture partners to create adaptable, flexible spaces that elevate student agency, inclusion, and instructional impact. Her work centers on equity, ensuring that all learners have access to meaningful, authentic, and future-ready learning experiences.