Born in Sydney, Penny studied at Ascham school and the University of Sydney.

Penny worked in 1986 at the NSW Government Architect’s Office, and between 1987-2002 in the offices of Tony Meadows, Nicholas Grimshaw and Richard Rogers in London. In 1993 Penny joined Foster and Partners and worked in the German and London studios until 1999.

Penny moved to Sydney in 2000, and worked as an architect within the property industry prior to starting Collins and Turner in 2002.

Together with Huw Turner, Penny takes responsibility for all aspects of the practice’s work.

Penny is a registered architect in NSW.

In 2020 Penny was appointed by the NSW Government Architect to the State Design Review Panel and to the Randwick Council Design Excellence Advisory Panel