About Penny

I have two primary loves – being mother to my beautiful two year old son as well as being a passionate community leader committed to systemic and transformative change through addressing what is going on beneath the iceberg, predominantly disconnection.  What I know is that we are at our best when we are connected to self, community and the earth. I am the originator of joiningthedots.org and The Welcome Dinner Project (now a non-profit Charity and national social movement). Beyond these primary passions I also have a love for attending festivals, playing music, spending time in the great outdoors, living in community and practicing aspects of permaculture.

Prior to my work leading The Welcome Dinner Project, I worked with the Families in Cultural Transition program at STARTTS in Western Sydney. Earlier in my career I was a Diocesan coordinator for the World Youth Day in Sydney and a high school teacher for nearly 10 years. I have degrees in Music Education, M.Arts and was a Fellow of The Centre for Sustainability Leadership in 2011 and Social Leadership Australia in 2014. I also have a certificate in Permaculture Design, plus recently taken part in international programs in Theory U, Ecopsychology, Cosmology of Connection, Service Space Laddership, Art of Mentoring. I have been privileged to be a guest speaker for many public events and conferences, sharing insights to how we as communities can “join the dots”, bringing about what is really needing to emerge. Most recently I was a speaker at TedX Canberra and on the panel for Relationships Australia’s 70th anniversary on loneliness.