ABOUT PENNY
I have been elected to serve as the State Representative of the 57th Assembly District since 2008. I have lived and worked in Appleton and the Fox Valley area for over 25 years. I was raised in Mundelein, Illinois and remained in Illinois to complete my Associate and Bachelor’s of Science degree from Southern Illinois University. After graduation I had the opportunity to volunteer for the Peace Corps working at a hospital in Campino Grande, Brazil. When I returned to the United States, I attended Northwestern University in Chicago where I received my degree in physical therapy. My career in healthcare brought me to Wisconsin. I started working in hospitals in Milwaukee and made my way to the Fox Valley in 1984.
In Appleton I began working as a physical therapist in local hospitals, community nursing homes, in private practice, and in schools. I also got involved and more informed about the community by attending City Council and County Board meetings. With a passion for the environment I became active in the Fox River Cleanup Plan. I am excited to know that the Fox River Cleanup is under way and that we will soon have a cleaner river running through the heart of Appleton. To get a better understanding of environmental issues I returned to school in 
1985. I completed an Associate Degree in Natural Resources at Fox Valley Technical College. As a member of the Fox Valley Sierra Group and as Chairperson for Wisconsin’s John Muir Chapter for the Sierra Club, I have been involved in local and statewide environmental issues.
For 20 years now, I have been happily married to my husband, Dale, who was a Media Specialist for the Appleton School District for 29 years and before that taught for the Appleton School District. Dale, recently retired, has a passion for the education of our youth and worked for the Appleton School District for 35 years.