Penny Cowden began her career at Weyerhaeuser Company, a Fortune 500 Forest Products company operating in eighteen countries, in marketing, communications and business development. She developed communications and marketing strategies and organized national and international conferences for fire and forest products professionals and hosted representatives from the United States, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, Italy and Mexico.
Penny specializes in healthcare philanthropy and public relations and served as the executive director of development and as vice president of public affairs for a healthcare system located in the Pacific Northwest comprised of six hospitals. Penny served as the chief development officer for a major regional medical center in Colorado, Inova Health System BS Banner Health System where she built comprehensive development programs and developed community boards. She currently consults through her company, philanthropy212 as well as serving as Chief Development Officer for Columbia Memorial on the Oregon coast.
Penny has consulted with numerous not-for-profit organizations including United Way, Rotary, Hospice, Habitat for Humanity as well as several smaller, community based organizations. She has also provided consultation and creative services to healthcare organizations in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana and New Mexico on strategic planning, resource development, donor recognition systems and philanthropic communications.
Penny received her bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and a Masters degree from Washington State University. She holds the CFRE designation and has earned advanced certification as a Fellow in the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy.