Jenny Dearborn - Keynote Speaker

Commencement Speaker

Jenny Dearborn, MED, MBA

Jenny Dearborn is a champion of equality and diversity.

A leader in learning, leadership, and business culture, Jenny began her career as an instructor and instructional designer and is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Talent & Leadership Officer for SAP’s 90,000+ employees worldwide.

Jenny is a regular contributor to mainstream business and industry news media. In 2017 she won Female Business Executive of the Year at The Stevie Awards and the international Athena Leadership Award. In 2017 and 2016 she was recognized by the Financial Times as one of the top 20 global executive LGBTQ allies. Jenny was recognized in 2014, 2015 and 2016 as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology by the National Diversity Council. She received the 2014 Silicon Valley Women of Influence Award and the 2013 Silicon Valley Tribute to Women in Industry Award. In 2015 she was Executive Producer of the popular twicemonthly radio show “Game Changers: Women in Business” on the Voice of America Radio Network to support advancing women in business.

Jenny earned an MBA in Organizational Development from San Jose State University, a Masters of Education and Teaching Credential from Stanford University, a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from University of California at Berkeley and an Associates of Arts degree in Social Sciences from American River College in Sacramento.

She has embraced her personal challenges, Dyslexia, ADHD and OCD, that were formative in her youth and now harness them as sources of strength. Multi-hyphenated, Jenny is a film producer and professional artist, painting large-scale acrylic on canvas pop-art as well as a competitive athlete.

Gavilan College is privileged to host Ms. Dearborn as a Commencement Speaker to the Graduating class of 2018.