Jenny Lay-Flurrie Scaled Plenty of Brick Walls to Become a Leader of Accessibility at Microsoft
Jenny Lay-Flurrie has enjoyed an impressive career so far, one that has taken her from Birmingham, England, to the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Wa.
Deaf most of her life, Lay-Flurrie has faced a series of what she calls brick walls, moments when the fact that she was hard of hearing posed obstacles in her career and personal life. Each time, Lay-Flurrie has scaled those brick walls and now works in the Customer and Partner Advocacy group at Microsoft, advocating for millions of customers with disabilities.
“There will be more epiphany moments in my future,” Lay-Flurrie said. “I’m still very ‘deceptively deaf,’ as I have speech, I have an English accent, I’m smart, I read body language and together, it confuses people. However, all that may change. If you believe the doctors, I will lose my speech at some point, although they have been saying that for 20 years, and there will be other jobs that push and challenge me. My commitment is to face those brick wall moments head on and climb the bloody wall rather than trying to resign.” – “Talk to the hand.”
