Jenny Dowell grew up in rural Victoria and after training as an Infants Teacher in Geelong, she went on to study another year to become a teacher of deaf children in Melbourne. Her special passion was teaching profoundly deaf children to speak and took that passion from the schoolroom into colleges and universities where she became a lecturer in Speech and Language development for five years while she completed Bachelors of Arts and Education.

On her return to teaching, she was a team leader and class teacher of teenage deaf students before leaving full-time work to have children.

Following her marriage to Ron and the birth of Georgina, Jenny became deeply involved in her local community in South Melbourne, organising a play group and forming a committee to build a large community playground and becoming President of a foster care agency. She followed Georgie and then Tim into pre-school and school and became secretary and president of various committees and the school Council.

On returning to part-time work supervising graduate teachers of deaf children at Melbourne University, Jenny also started the first parent centred program for speech development for pre-school deaf children at a western suburbs school.

When Ron was appointed a lecturer in Tourism at Southern Cross University in Lismore, the family made the big move north.

Jenny believes it is the best move she ever made.

Within a week of arriving and with Georgie and Tim settled into Lismore Heights PS, Jenny became a volunteer driver with NR Community Transport. After four years as a driver and as secretary on the management committee, Jenny became a volunteer at Lismore Neighbourhood Centre and then at Lismore library.

Also during this time, Jenny joined the school P&C becoming Secretary and President and remained closely involved throughout her children’s schooling.

She also commenced work as a special education teacher at both Wilson Park PS and at Lismore PS where she was the inaugural Itinerant Support Teacher for Children with Conductive Hearing Loss.

The 14 years Jenny spend as the IST (CHL) brought her into contact with young children and their families and teachers from Tweed Heads to Evans Head and inland to Tabulum and Woodenbong. Affectionately known as ‘the snot lady’ Jenny set about teaching children how their ears worked and how to blow their noses to assist in the prevention of glue ear.

Jenny’s move into local government came after she attended a few Council meetings and caught the bug. She stood for election in March 2004 and has loved every minute (almost) since!

She continues her volunteering as President of Northern Rivers Social Development Council and on numerous committees.

To relax, Jenny enjoys her garden, her book group, being a member of U3A and as a volunteer at Lismore Rainforest Botanical Gardens. In September 2008, Jenny will be running for Mayor and looks forward to having the opportunity to further serve the community she loves.