Katie Penninga’s passion for serving the underserved has compelled her travels, studies, and career trajectory for nearly two decades. As a health professional and vocal advocate for public heath services in historically oppressed communities, she is committed to improving access to quality care for all in San Diego County, and specifically to creating safe and celebratory spaces for our LGBTQIA+ neighbors.

Originally from Michigan, Katie holds a Master of Social Work degree from Grand Valley State University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Social Work from Calvin College. In her current role as Clinical Services Manager in the HIV department at San Ysidro Health, she oversees operations for the HIV, Infectious Disease and Gender-Affirming Medicine and Sexual Health (GeMS Health) Clinics. Through the daily management of contracts, federal grants, and research agreements, and overseeing the development and implementation of HIV Research programs that include collaborations with the Center for AIDS Research at UCSD, the CDC, and SDSU, Katie is able to speak from experience to the struggles, victories, and critical needs facing San Diego public health systems.

Katie is a licensed social worker in both California (LCSW) and Michigan (LMSW). Before moving to California, she spent seven years in maternal child health and child development public health programs in Michigan, in addition to a stint living and working abroad in Peru. She was a fellow in the San Diego Leadership Alliance (SDLA) Institute class of 2018, and joined the SDLA Board the same year, where she serves as Treasurer and Institute Co-Chair. When she isn’t working toward health and wholeness in San Diego, she’s likely finding creative new ways to connect with her nieces and nephews from a distance, or looking forward to the time she can safely travel to a new corner of the world she loves to explore.