Jill Alexander began teaching at UMSL in 2017 following a long career in corporate communication and public relations. Most recently, she served as senior director in corporate communication for the Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. based in St. Louis. Here, she filled the role of company spokesperson and handled public relations for fifteen casinos in seven states in the areas of media relations, crisis communication, employee communication, issues management, community relation, and investor relations.

Alexander’s public relations career began in New York following college, where her first job was with N.W. Ayer on the DeBeers Diamond Account. Several positions later, she transitioned into the world of science at Ciba-Geigy. This position led to her to move out of the big city to the Deep South, handling public relations for a 1600-acre chemical plant in Alabama. I remained in Alabama until 2006 where I provided PR counsel to a variety of clients in tourism, banking, retail, and education. In 2005, she was named to the PR role at Isle of Capri Casinos in Biloxi, Mississippi. Hurricane Katrina resulted in her move to Saint Louis, as the Isle of Capri Casinos moved its corporate headquarters inland for safety reasons. In 2017, following twelve years managing public relations for the company, she transitioned to academia when the company was sold. She began planning for this transition in 2008 and happily shared her insights and experiences with her students. Jill also manages UMSL's student-run PR firm, The Barnett Agency.