Written by: Maya Perry
“People like to say I’m a beauty queen with a face for radio. I’m a former Miss Iowa USA, and most people will ask me why I’m not in television. I always tell them, “I’d rather have fans love me for my personality instead of for my looks.”
Jenny Valliere did not allow her looks to steer her for what was destined. Jenny is on air and a Program Director for Z 102.9 FM in Eastern Iowa. Jenny explains her journey into radio. “I go by my actual first and last name, and this is the only name I have ever went by in my radio career! At the time we were deciding what I would go by on the air, our Program Director thought it’d make the most sense to keep my real name. I had already started building my brand in my hometown, and since I was doing radio in the same town, he thought it would help to keep growing my brand. I have always had a passion for entertaining others. Throughout high school I was involved in theatre, I joined the speech team for broadcasting and I was our school’s morning news anchor. I went to college for Communications and originally thought I was going to be a television news anchor. My advisor asked me if I had ever considered radio. I decided to take a tour of a locally-owned radio station in my hometown, known as Z102.9. I immediately fell in love. That summer, I did my college internship with the station and was hired on part-time afterwards. Eventually I trained to be on-air and worked all the weekend overnights, holidays, filling in for vacations, accepting any shift I could get my hands on. Leading up to my college graduation, the overnight DJ announced she was leaving. I immediately applied, and sure enough, I started my first full-time overnight shift the same night as my college graduation- midnight to 5:30 a.m. After 15 months of many gas station coffees, I was promoted to the Afternoon Drive. June of 2018, I was offered the role of Assistant Program Director and Music Director, in addition to being on air. This past December I was appointed to become Program Director of Z102.9, and I have been with this same station, since I was an intern back in 2012.”
As a Program Director, Jenny is in charge of the sound of the radio station. She helps to manage the station's programming and direct staff at the station to ensure that the station always sounds its best and suits the needs of its listeners. When asked what advice should give to women who are interested in being on air or getting into radio business, this was her clear and direct response. “Keep working hard, and everything is going to work out. Growing up, I battled the effects of parental substance abuse. There were times I had no hope for my future, and felt so lost about my career goals. I worked three part-time jobs while being a full-time college student, with a double-major and a minor. Although I faced a lot of adversity growing up, hard work truly pays off. I believe I wouldn’t be as successful today if it weren’t for my past. Make yourself valuable and don’t ever stop being motivated. Learn as much as you can, and take on more and more responsibilities each day. There are going to be days that are tough, weeks you work well over 40 hours, times you feel like giving up, but the best you can do is keep the motivation. If you put your all into your work, you’ll leave no room for regrets or doubts.”