Jennie Graham

Sir Cyril Taylor Memorial Award for Social Entrepreneurship, Duke University - Entrepreneurial Studies

Jennie grew up in Milnathort, Scotland, and graduated from the University of Oxford with a First Class degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Passionate about advancing gender equity, she volunteered for an interfaith organisation in Amman, Jordan, and helped to launch the Women for Coexistence initiative, an open forum bringing together women of all faiths to discuss coexistence and promote cross-cultural understanding. She went on to work with Oxford Entrepreneurs, leading their women’s outreach and building a mentorship programme for aspiring female entrepreneurs at the university. Most recently, Jennie worked at Turquoise Mountain, a non-profit supporting entrepreneurs in the creative manufacturing and handmade sector, most of whom are women, in Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Middle East. As Head of Communications, she has supported female artisans and business leaders to market their handmade products worldwide. Jennie is going to Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business to pursue an MBA with a focus on social entrepreneurship and impact investing. She plans to work in impact venture capital, supporting female founders in the social enterprise space. She is a Forté Fellow and former competitive kickboxer, captaining the Oxford University team.