Penny Simmonds
Profile
Penny Simmonds is a New Zealand politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Invercargill. A member of the National Party, she was first elected in 2020 and currently holds the portfolios of Tertiary Education and Science, Innovation and Technology. Before entering politics, she had a long career in education, notably serving as the chief executive of the Southern Institute of Technology from 1997 to 2020. Her political career has focused on vocational education reform, including the dissolution of the mega-polytechnic Te Pūkenga, and regional economic development.
Details
- Born
- 1959-09 · 66 years old
- Birth place
- Southland, New Zealand
- Education
- Gore High School, University of Otago
- Career
- Chief Executive of the Southern Institute of Technology, member of the New Zealand Territorial Force, director of the Southland Museum and Art Gallery
