Penny Hawley's background is in corporate communications for clients including Kraft Foods, PwC and Investors in People. After being the director general of the Biscuit Cake Chocolate and Confectionery Association and taking a career break to raise her neurodiverse family she took a temporary contract at Durham University.  Six weeks later she was welcoming 150 alumni and their guests for dinner at Durham Castle and her passion for alumni relations was born.  Seven years later she's still waiting for a 'typical day' having built a network of alumni chapters across eight Chinese cities, hosted events in the House of Lords and worked with the executive dean to create a truly diverse International Advisory Board.