Penny qualified and lectured in woven and printed textile design, which led to her work as a maker of contemporary jewellery and clothing accessories in fine leather. She ran her studio for seven years at the then called Cirencester Workshops before joining Arts Council West Midlands as Regional Craft Officer.  Following her role in the West Midlands Penny worked as a freelance consultant on a number of craft related initiatives for local authorities around the country, before taking up her current marketing and business development post in the commercial media sector.