Penny became the Chief Executive of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) in March 2010. This is the latest leadership role in her long and respected career, which has included ‘Board level’ positions in the NHS and local government. Highlights have included working as Chief Executive of the London Borough of Hackney, and Executive Director of Social Services in Sheffield.

Penny graduated with a BA (Hons) in History and gained an MA in social work in 1979. She has over ten years of front line social work experience in challenging environments, including two years as a qualified social worker at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and six years as a social worker for Sheffield City Council.