Last week, more than 90 business professionals, staff, alumni and students gathered for St Margaret’s first Professional Women’s Network Breakfast for 2021, where guest speaker Jenny Stevens shared her inspiring words.
Third generation St Margaret’s Old Girl, Jenny (’73) said that while she didn’t know what she wanted to do after leaving school, she had a dogged determination and desire to want to achieve something in life.
“I wanted to look back and be very proud of what I’d done over time, so I took every opportunity that was given to me,” she said.
For Jenny, her time at St Margaret’s gave her the belief that girls can do anything, and Jenny has proven this ethos several times over throughout her diverse career. She is the current CEO and Clinical Director at leading national audiology company, Attune Hearing, where over the past 15 years she has grown the company from two to three clinics to more than 65 clinics servicing the medical community across five states. When she first started with Attune she was told by a male colleague that she would never be able to achieve this, but Jenny’s dogged determination led her to not only grow the company, but in 2020, to be instrumental in the sale of Attune for more than $76.4 million.
Jenny’s innovative mindset and her rural roots led to the development of a software company Otohub, which gives service accessibility to all patients, especially those in regional and remote areas. In July 2019, Otohub was sold for $10 million Euro.
Prior to audiology, Jenny was a primary and secondary physical education teacher. She recognised the lack of physical education for children with special needs and was the pioneer in introducing physical education to Special School children in Queensland. It was through her forward thinking and significant efforts that a framework was built which is still in existence today.
A proud St Margaret’s Old Girl, Jenny said the school motto, Per Volar Sunata – Born to Fly Upwards, continues to influence decisions she makes today.
“Live it, keep it in your heart and let it guide your thinking. It still does for me today,” she said to the students in the audience.”
Jenny inspired audience members and the students in the room revealing that endurance, perseverance and self-belief are the qualities needed to conquer anything you desire.
“You can do whatever you want to do. Just want it enough and never take no for an answer. Ladies, we’re only limited by what we think we can achieve. Have a belief in yourself. Hard work, determination and resilience are the ingredients for future success. It won’t be easy but nothing that is of true value is ever easy,” she said.
Jenny also said: “A well lived life involves risk and I encourage those girls in the room to take that risk, embrace that fear and make it your friend.”
St Margaret’s thanks our partners who supported the evening including the 2021 Professional Women’s Network corporate sponsors Pitcher Partners, Programmed Property Services and Wolff Coffee Roasters, as well as supporting partners Downer, NAB, Clear Insurance, O’Reilly Shaw Lawyers and Red Oak.