Over the past 30 years, Penny has played a leadership role in identifying the strategic issues facing Jewish women and their families and developing and implementing programs and projects to strengthen their lives. She speaks about the issue of domestic violence and trains lawyers, mediators and educators about it. In the late 1980's Penny was instrumental in developing the first and only kosher shelter in partnership with Jewish Family and Child of Toronto. Since that time, culturally sensitive shelters have been established by Act To End Violence Against Women in Montreal and Winnipeg. She has also been the driving force in implementing Act To End Violence Against Women projects such as Turning the Page - a project that transforms a space in a shelter for women & children into a children's library and the Legal Information Service for Jewish Women who have experienced abuse. Penny graduated with honours with a Certificate in Voluntary Sector and Arts Management from The Faculty of Administrative Studies at York University. She has a Certificate in Voluntary and Non-Profit Sector Management from The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy and she earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in June 1995.