Jill Vedder
A former model who transformed personal heartbreak into a formidable global crusade to cure a devastating skin disease.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American philanthropist, activist and former fashion model·Birthday: November 11·Generation X
Biography
Jill Vedder's public life began on fashion runways, but its purpose was defined in the most private of spaces: a hospital room. After her son was diagnosed with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a painful and often fatal condition that causes the skin to blister and tear, she and her husband, musician Eddie Vedder, pivoted their lives. She co-founded the EB Research Partnership, moving from photo shoots to scientific symposiums with fierce determination. Leveraging her platform and a keen strategic mind, she helped build one of the world's leading non-profits focused on EB, driving millions in funding toward cutting-edge gene and cell therapies. Her activism extends to global poverty and health through roles with Global Citizen, making her a quiet but powerful force in philanthropy, driven by a mother's love and an organizer's grit.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jill was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Jill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded and serves as Vice Chairman of the EB Research Partnership, a leading non-profit dedicated to curing epidermolysis bullosa.
- Helped raise over $100 million for EB research through innovative fundraising and advocacy campaigns.
- Serves as an ambassador for Global Citizen, advocating for solutions to extreme poverty and disease.
- Played a key role in establishing a network of EB clinical care centers across the United States.
Did You Know?
She met her husband, Eddie Vedder, at one of his concerts in 1998.
She worked as a fashion model for brands like Tommy Hilfiger and appeared in magazines such as Glamour.
She is a dedicated supporter of the Seattle arts community and the city's Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP).
“Our family's fight is to give these children a life beyond bandages and pain.”
