JITLI founders Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs

Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs founded the Jacobs International Teen Leadership Institute (JITLI) in 2000.  They live in Del Mar, California with their son Adam, daughters Sara, Beth, and Mara, and their dogs, Jasmine and Goldie.  Adam was a JITLI participant in 2002, Sara was a JITLI participant in 2006 and the young counselor in 2007, and Beth was a JITLI participant in 2008.

Mr. Jacobs is the Managing Director of Jacobs Investment Company LLC (JIC). JIC was created in 1997 to participate in real estate development throughout the United States.  In partnership with several developers, JIC has invested over sixty million dollars in projects ranging from government services to residential to commercial.  Mr. Jacobs serves as Chairman of the Board of DermTech International, Ora Bio Ltd. and Nutrinia Ltd. Mr. Jacobs is also a director of Next Generation Technologies, GEO2 Technologies Inc., Flourinex Active Ltd. and Fallbrook Technologies.

In the community, Mr. Jacobs serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of High Tech High charter high schools, Graduate School of Education and national high school reform movement.  HTH is founded on three design principles: personalization, adult-world connection, and a common intellectual mission.  He also serves as Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Social Sciences at University of California at San Diego UCSD.  He and Jerri-Ann created the Gary and Jerri-Ann Graduate Fellowship in Social Sciences Endowment and the Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs Chair in Social Sciences.

In addition, Mr. Jacobs is a past president of the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County.  He and Jerri-Ann have endowed the Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs Teen Director position and created an endowment for the senior department at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus.  Mr. Jacobs is also a board member of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, Jewish Community Foundation, The San Diego Foundation and the UCSD Board of Overseers.

Mrs. Jacobs serves on the Parent Committee at High Tech High and High Tech Middle Media Arts.  She co-chairs the annual “Catwalk Cabaret” fundraiser for the schools which raises over $100,000. She also serves on the board of the Foundation for the Advancement of Music Education, the board of Congregation Beth El, the advisory council for the J*Company Youth Theater at the JCC, and many other organizations in the community.

Mr. Jacobs graduated in 1979 from the University of California at San Diego with a B.A. in Management Science.  He worked as a Software Programmer and Engineer at Linkabit Inc. and QUALCOMM from 1979 through 1996, then as a Senior Education Specialist until 2000 working with K-12 educational institutions to enhance science and math studies.  Mrs. Jacobs graduation from San Diego State University with a degree in business administration.