Class XX (2022-2023)

2. Jenny Eck

United States

Jenny Eck is from Helena, MT, a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains of the western US.  For nearly three years, she has been the Executive Director of the Friendship Center, a nonprofit organization providing shelter and crisis services to those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in central Montana.  From 2013-2018, Jenny served three terms as an elected legislator in the Montana House of Representatives, including a two-year term as House Minority Leader. During her tenure, she passed eleven bills which reflected her focus areas of safer communities, mental health, consumer protection, justice system reforms, and gender equity.  She also chaired the subcommittee which overhauled the Legislature’s anti-harassment policies and procedures.


Jenny has a strong background in political organizing and has served on numerous local, state, and national boards.  She got her start in politics working on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008 and went on to run Hillary Clinton’s Montana campaign in 2016.  In 2015, Jenny was chosen as a Rodel Fellow with the Aspen Institute.  Jenny received her undergraduate degree in Government from Smith College in Northampton, MA.  She currently lives in Helena with her two teenage children and is thrilled to commence her studies as a Rotary Peace Fellow, albeit remotely, at UQ.  She hopes to travel to Brisbane before too long and is particularly interested in exploring peace and conflict resolution through the lense of gender-based violence and women’s empowerment.