Meet an OttScot: Jen Hill

By Nujma Bond

Jen Hill is the SSO’s Vice Chair. She first joined the Society in 2021 to fill the role of Burns Director. She explains the supper had always been her favourite event of the year, and the SSO opportunity allowed her to both attend the event, and help create it. “It also meant I could finally take a proper swing at addressing the haggis in front of a full-sized crowd, something I’d always wanted to do!” she says.

Her sense of humour is a perfect tool for her other life role as a Registered Early Childhood Educator working in intergenerational care. She describes how she has always connected easily with children and seniors, and has cared for both over her life. With a love of history and travel, she’s most happy visiting places only seen in a history book, “…connecting past and present in a way that feels almost magical.” 

Jen wants to help keep Scottish culture alive because its stories, connections and the sense of belonging it creates, can carry across generations and provide an anchor for people; it’s a way to both honour ancestors and carry traditions forward.

In her various roles, Jen has been involved in a bit of everything the SSO has to offer, volunteering for events like Kilt Skate and whisky tastings. Each time, she learns something new and connects with others who love the culture. Now as Vice Chair, she wants to strengthen the SSO’s community presence and build relationships with Ottawa’s cultural communities. 

Jen says the SSO is full of passionate, creative, and welcoming individuals and that it’s a privilege to help create special moments for people, whether they have Scottish roots or not: “Honestly, there’s nothing more rewarding than watching someone experience Scottish music, dance, or heritage for the first time and light up!”