Meet the Team - Melanie Penny

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Melanie is a 26 year old Planning and Funding Analyst in the public health sector. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in geography and a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health (with distinction). She has an AMI Award for Achievement in Public Health, awarded in 2001. She has just completed a Masters Degree in Public Health.

Melanie works for the Canterbury Health board and is based in the West Coast town of Greymouth,

Melanie lists her spare time activities as - digital photography, painting, two gorgeous kittens and food. She keeps fit with the help of her triathlon team, plus social volleyball in summer and basketball in winter. She is the co-founder of the West Coast Young Professionals group which brings together a diverse bunch of young folk, primarily for social contact. Melanie and her partner Logan own a house where they ‘ can see the sunrise illuminate Mount Cook and then set over the Tasman sea.

Melanie believes that the best opportunities to improve health lie outside the health sector - in education, welfare, housing, recreation and transport. Juggling the resources needed for these and health care provision is a challenge for communities and it is this aspect that she wants to study in Missouri.

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