Jill Manas (born in Elliott City, Maryland) is an American model and best known to TV game show audiences as Briefcase Model #12 for three seasons on the NBC game show Deal or No Deal.
Jill grew up in the city of Elliott City, Maryland. When she was seven years of age, the family moved to Diamond Bar, California. In High School, she was a socially active student. She became varsity cheerleader and ran varsity track for three years. In her junior year, Jill was voted Prom Princess and as well as voted most likely to become Miss America. Also while attending High School, Jill created a club so that she could be the president and put it on her college application It was a performing arts club, but they only had one meeting.
Since the age of fourteen, Manas has pursued modeling full time which was very helpful to her as the modeling gigs paid her way through USC where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications. After graduating, Jill continued to book modeling gigs, some of which were modeling wedding dresses, approximately 9,000 wedding dresses but has never been married herself.
Jill's modeling career also took her abroad as well, modeling in Taiwan and Japan, among other exotic locations. Traveling abroad has also enabled her to say "hello" in four different languages including Spanish, English, Japanese and Mandarin.
Her long-standing resumé, modeling portfolios, and gorgeous looks, landed Jill a weekly TV gig where millions across the country would see her on their TV screens at least three nights a week. That gig was appearing as one of 26 briefcase models on the NBC game show Deal or No Deal. The show first debuted in late December 2005, airing for one week and during that one week, Jill held Briefcase #11.
After receiving strong, powerful reviews and high ratings, Deal or No Deal was brought back in February 2006 as a primetime regular. Jill was one of several briefcase models to return and moved over to Briefcase #12 as her new permanent residence on the show.
After three seasons of Deal or No Deal, Manas decided to part ways with the show as Briefcase #12 was taken over by fellow briefcase model Lauren Shiohama, who previously stood beside Briefcase #8.
Since ending her days as a briefcase model on Deal or No Deal, Jill has continued her modeling career and also explored her adventurous side. She loves to drive fast which is where her love for race cars came from and actually drove one on a NASCAR raceway in a NASCAR racecar at 160 mph (Miles Per Hour). She also tried her hand at skydiving but found it boring. she is also a homebody and enjoys cooking, especially Italian food and baking.