Penny Dickey BS, RN
Penny Dickey, former Chief Operating Officer and Chief Clinical Officer for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. A registered nurse, with a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration, Penny started her career as a hospital nurse for 10 years, four of which were spent as OB/Peds nursing manager at Des Moines General Hospital and the next 27+ at Planned Parenthood. Her work experience led her to her true passion: focusing on women’s health promotion and disease prevention. Throughout her career, Penny has been a nationwide leader within Planned Parenthood and the broader community of family planning, in developing and analyzing techniques and tools to compare performance against benchmarks and establishing a process for regular review and adjustment at all levels of the organization. Service expansion, as a part of this included colposcopy, adoption, mid-life care, sexual assault exams, family practice, female sterilization, LBGT care, implementation of a telehealth program., and agency-wide implementation of electronic health records. Penny has also been a forerunner in providing service on the international front, conducting trainings for professionals and community members in Russia, Ukraine, and Tanzania. Throughout her professional career she has been an active participant in community issues, serving on various boards and committees with the intent of improving the health and well-being of individuals and families. She continues her involvement with Empower Tanzania, Inc, as a volunteer. Since 2016, Penny has provided training and support to various health departments and non-governmental healthcare organizations in the areas of policy and procedure development and management; has assisted in writing emergency protocols; and policies/procedures for delivery of telehealth care.