Jillian Melero

Jillian Melero is the founder and publisher of Connect Puerto Rico, an independent news and information platform covering the policies, funding, infrastructure and workforce decisions shaping Puerto Rico’s energy development. She is a journalist, editor, and media leader with more than a decade of experience working across print, digital, and broadcast newsrooms for independent, public, and nonprofit media.

Her career includes reporting and editorial roles at WTTW News, Climate Central, Borderless Magazine, The TRiiBE, and South Florida Gay News. She also led editorial development for Chicago Public Media’s citywide Immigration Resource Guide, helping turn complex immigration policy and legal information into a clear, useful public resource.

Melero is a former president and current vice president of programming for the Chicago Headline Club. Her work there has included launching the Chicago Media Career Fair, developing professional training for journalists, and building an initiative focused on strengthening editor recruitment, development, and retention. Across her work, she focuses on public-service journalism, thoughtful editing, and helping people understand the systems shaping their lives.