A Tribute to Dr Jill Kiefer

A Remarkable Person

April 6 was a very sad day for Warnborough – we lost a truly remarkable individual who has been a part of the Warnborough story for 27 years. Dr Jill Alice Kiefer was known to many and loved by everyone, in equal measure.

Jill at the Royal Horticultural Society Halls for graduation in 2003

Celebrating our 25th anniversary with other alumni at Hatfield Palace

Jill graduated with her PhD and also with the 'Student of the Year' award in 2006

Jill hosted an alumni gathering in California with her students

Dr Kiefer first came to Warnborough as a Masteral student in 1998. In her own words, she had such a wonderful learning experience that she came back to do a PhD. She graduated as ‘Student of the Year’ in 2006 and has been an integral part of Warnborough since, becoming part of the Senate and then the Warnborough Council.

Fine Arts and Art History Programs

Dr Kiefer created our unique Fine Arts and Art History programs, and shared her spiral model of research with her students. Both programs have gone on to graduate lots of students from around the world – they were popular and customisable, and most of all, they were steered by the indomitable Jill.

Posing with Council members in front of Canterbury Cathedral in 2013

Jill with Dr Brenden Tempest-Mogg in 2013

Jill with Dr Matina Chronopoulou, Libby Geiselmayr (her student), and Dr Julian Ng

Jill with her MA student, Martha Campos, at the arts conference

Jill with her PhD student, Dr Pen McElwee and Mark Jackson at Warnborough

Jill with Dr Brenden, Dr Celina Senisterra and Dr Julian

Kent Arts Conference

Above all, Dr Kiefer’s legacy, and testament to her vision and passion for the arts, is the arts conference that she initiated in 2013. Originally designed as a platform for Warnborough Art History and Fine Arts students to present their research, its popularity since inception sparked something greater. From a half-day event, the Warnborough College Conference on the Arts (WCCA) grew into a 3-day festival that celebrated the arts and artists from around the world.

In 2014, she threw her weight behind the conference and brought Hollywood to Canterbury. Her husband is David Chaskin, famous screenwriter of classics such as Nightmare on Elm Street II, along with his son, Harry (who creates for Netflix). Until 2025, she always provided input into the chosen theme with her conference co-founder, Dr Julian Ng.

Jill opening our first arts conference within the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral in 2013

Jill opening the arts conference at the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in 2014

Some of the delegates at the arts conference pose at Warnborough HQ

Posing with Julian Brazier, then MP of Canterbury, after his talk at the arts conference

With Dr Julian Ng opening the arts conference in 2015.

Jill with Dr Julian and Dr Elizabeth Scandale (another PhD student)

Posing with delegates and the mayor on the last day of the arts conference (2019)

The conference was renamed the ‘Canterbury Arts Conference’ in 2017, and then the Kent Arts Conference in 2022 when it received support from Medway Council to go west. Over the years, Dr Kiefer’s brainchild have seen people coming from all corners of the globe.

The Dr Jill Kiefer Scholarship

To honour and remember this amazing lady, we have created the Dr Jill Kiefer Scholarship, for students of art history and the fine arts. We will never forget you, darling Jill.