A problem solver by nature.
An architect by calling.

I know what it feels like to shrink.

I entered the world as the seventh of eleven children, weighing 3 pounds, 9 ounces. Medical professionals offered my mother very little hope. She took me to church as a first response, and a community gathered around a tiny life to pray. I am here because God had the final word and people of faith refused to let go.

I grew up knowing I was a miracle, yet I also learned to shrink. Eczema, bullying, teasing, and years of trying to prove my worth shaped how comfortable I felt being seen. I became very good at helping, solving, serving, and giving, while quietly questioning whether what I carried had value.

Change came through a slow rebuilding of identity, faith, and self-trust. I began to understand that visibility was not about performing or becoming someone else. It was about no longer hiding what had been developed in me. That is part of why WOVEN exists.

My name, Penny, comes from Penelope, a name connected with the image of the weaver. That name-story became the seed of WOVEN: gathering the threads of identity, story, gifts, experience, and purpose into a clearer whole.

For years, helping people was simply what I did, as a public servant, ministry leader, educator, strategist, creative, and resource-builder. I often gave away skills, solutions, and knowledge because service came naturally. Over time, I realized that helping people see a problem clearly and find a way forward was not merely kindness. It was developed expertise.