Sen. Dodd: Jill Techel is Napa County Woman of the Year

NAPA – Jill Techel, a four-term Napa mayor who served on the City Council during a 25-year period of economic expansion and led the city through a series of natural disasters, including a devastating earthquake, flood and wildfires, has been named Napa County Woman of the Year by Sen. Bill Dodd.

“Jill Techel has dedicated her career to serving the people of Napa and I’m proud to recognize her outstanding achievement,” Sen. Dodd said. “She led the city through incredible economic transformation and growth. She also guided it through major challenges, including a deadly earthquake and recent wildfires. Her vision and hard work have been a great benefit to the community. She is an inspiration for the next generation of Napa leaders.”

“Serving Napa for almost 50 years has been very rewarding,” Techel said. “I am very proud of the Napa sprit that has moved us past disasters and into the future.  I really appreciate being selected Woman of the year and it is especially meaningful coming from Sen. Dodd, who I worked with for many years.” 

 Jill Techel is a North Dakota native who moved to Napa in 1971. The trained social worker soon became involved in the community, serving on numerous boards including the Napa Valley Unified School District board and the Parks and Recreation Commission. With the sudden death of Mayor Ed Solomon in 1996, she was appointed to the Napa City Council. She was subsequently elected mayor in 2005, 2008, 2012, and 2016. She helped the city weather record flooding in her first year as mayor and led it through the 2014 earthquake and 2017-2018 wildfires. Among her proudest accomplishments is adoption of the 6-mile Napa River-Napa Creek Flood Protection Project, which protects the city from flooding and makes it more walkable. She retired in 2020.

Techel, a graduate of University of North Dakota, is currently the coordinator of Leadership Napa Valley, a position she has held for 25 years. She has two grown children.

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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Sacramento counties. You can learn more about the district and Senator Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.