Gem Spotlight - Jenny Nicholls at Gembridge
Jenny joined team Gembridge about 6 months ago. Here she shares with us her passions, recent travel and her interest in dinosaur bones and France!
Jenny joined Gembridge earlier in 2022.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Jenny. I grew up in ‘smalltown USA’ where my hometown was surrounded by corn fields, cows, pigs and Route 66. It was a great place to grow up, and it’s where part of my heart still lives. I always dreamed of moving to Paris, but met an Australian and wound up in Melbourne 17 years ago. We’ve been married for just as long and we have two beautiful daughters.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about the arts, particularly dance and musical theatre. Growing up, I did competitive dance, performances and plays – so it’s always just been in my bones. I still do the odd dance class at my girls’ studio, but nowadays I more so enjoy watching them perform and be on stage while I help in the wings as a ‘dance mom’.
Other things I’m passionate about are coffee (thanks, Melbourne!), writing and all things French. In terms of causes, I’m passionate about girls’ equality and education, particularly those that live in poverty overseas. At Gembridge, I really enjoy seeing people and organisations connecting all the time, and knowing that they are joining forces to do good and further their cause.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Free time isn’t something I have a lot of. But if I do, I enjoy brunch with my husband, playing board games, watching movies with my family or listening to true crime podcasts.
Where is your favourite or dream holiday destination?
I’ll answer both!
Jenny and her family on her recent trip, which included Disney World.
My favourite destination is France. Exploring chateaus in the Loire Valley, visiting the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, drinking cidre in Bretagne… it’s all so beautiful and magical. I hope to visit again one day.
My dream holiday? I think I just went on it! In May and June this year, my family was very fortunate to take a six-week trip across the US, where we got to tick several things off our bucket list. This was an actual dream after our original 2020 trip was postponed because of obvious reasons. We travelled and road-tripped through eight states and got to see wonders such as the Grand Canyon, California’s 1,000-year-old sequoias, Yosemite National Park and more. We also got to visit Disney World (one of my fave places) and Universal Studios as well as Vegas, DC and a trip home to see family. We relished every moment, knowing just how fortunate we were to still go after the uncertainty of the last few years.
What did you dream of being when you were a child?
Like so many other little girls, I dreamt of being a ballerina or dancer. Once I was a bit older, I really wanted to be a palaeontologist. I even interviewed one from the local uni for a career report in grade 8, but never took it much further.
How did you come to work at Gembridge?
Michelle and I have a mutual friend, who thought of me when she heard that Michelle was looking for someone to join the Gembridge team. I was only in the beginning stages of thinking of moving on from my previous role, in search of a new challenge. But I was intrigued by the role and the move away from non-profit work and into recruiting.
After a few casual conversations with Michelle, I had a new job! I’ve been Gembridge’s Operation Manager for about 6 months now. My background has been in marketing/fundraising, communications and copywriting, so this feels like a good fit.
Is there anything you miss about being a fundraiser?
At times, yes. After all, I’ve been part of appeal work for over a decade, producing 3-7 every year.
I will just say that going through this year’s tax time without leading or coordinating an appeal felt odd, but very liberating!
What’s the best thing about your current role?
The thing I enjoy most about being Gembridge’s Operations Manager is the variety in my role from day to day. I’m a planner, and I usually think I know how my workday will go. But I will be surprised often by new tasks or trying something different. So, I kind of get the best of both – lots of planned, organised activities, yet a few curve balls as well.
What is another profession that you think would be cool to work in, but you never would?
Besides palaeontologist as mentioned above, I think it’d be super cool to be a detective or crime scene analyst. But that’s probably just because I listen to way too many true crime podcasts!