Many in our community already know Jenni Walke – a proud Bundjalung woman and the Founder and Managing Director of Elephant in the Room Consulting (EITRC). For years, Jenni has walked alongside Yalari students and staff, offering cultural guidance, partnership and the kind of straight up honesty that strengthens our work.
In 2025, Jenni took that relationship one step further by creating the Jenni Walke Endowment Scholarship with Yalari. It is one of the first Indigenous‑led endowed scholarships in Australia and sits at the heart of what ‘mob supporting mob’ looks like in practice.
For Jenni, this isn’t about recognition. It’s about ensuring young Indigenous people have strong, consistent support – not just now, but for generations to come.
“This is the definition of legacy. Our success as a business means nothing unless it creates real, lasting pathways for our people. To establish a scholarship that will continue supporting young people long after we’re gone, is the truest measure of impact.”
The endowment builds on a six-year partnership in which EITRC has contributed annual scholarship funding, donated a share of revenue, made voluntary gifts and provided in‑kind cultural capability support.
Yalari’s Founder, Waverley Stanley AM, says the EITRC endowment is one of the most significant commitments Yalari has received and reflects a long‑term belief in young Indigenous people and the importance of backing them, not just for today, but for the future.
“For an Indigenous-owned business to create a scholarship that will support our students for generations, that is a turning point. It shows the strength of Indigenous leadership and the power of investing in our own communities.”
Through the establishment of the Jenni Walke Endowment Scholarship, Jenni is supporting Yalari’s ambitious target to grow the Yalari Foundation to $200 million over the next 10 years, ensuring students and families from regional and remote communities are supported for generations to come.
Storytelling and leadership
Jenni’s impact with Yalari also extends to supporting the voices of our young people. Recently, eight Yalari alumni took to the stage at QPAC for a morning of grounded, powerful storytelling and leadership as part of the inaugural Speaking with Purpose program. In partnership with Jenni Walke and EITRC, these young leaders worked on strengthening their voice, presence and confidence. On stage, they shared stories of identity, quiet leadership, vulnerability, and courage, revealing what happens when young Indigenous people are supported to speak on their own terms.
We’re proud of every one of these alumni, and thankful to Jenni and Elephant in the Room Consulting for partnering with us on work that builds leadership, confidence and cultural strength alongside academic opportunity.
