1933
Dr. Penk is born in Houston, Texas to Walter Erich and Elsie Pearl Penk.
1953
Dr. Penk receives an Associate of Arts from Concordia University Texas.
1954
Dr. Penk receives a Bachelor of Arts in history and German from the University of Houston.
1963
Dr. Penk begins an internship in clinical psychology at the Dallas VA Medical Center.
1964
Dr. Penk receives a Master of Arts in clinical psychology from the University of Houston.
1965
Dr. Penk receives a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical psychology from the University of Houston and becomes a clinical and research psychologist at the Dallas VA Medical Center.
1968
Dr. Penk is certified as a diplomate in the state of Texas by the Board of Examiners of Psychologists.
1980
Dr. Penk is certified as a diplomate in clinical psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
1984
Dr. Penk is certified as a diplomate in Massachusetts by the Board of Registration of Psychologists and becomes a research psychologist for the VA Boston Healthcare System.
1986
Dr. Penk becomes a research director for VA Region 1 mental health initiatives at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital.
1988
Dr. Penk becomes the director of psychology for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.
1989
Dr. Penk becomes a research associate at the National Center for PTSD.
1993
Dr. Penk is promoted to chief of psychology service at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital.
1998
Dr. Penk becomes the associate director of the Bedford Division of the VISN 1 New England MIRECC of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
1999
Dr. Penk authors “Learners to Leaders: Stories about People in Process.”
2003
Dr. Penk becomes a consultant for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System.
2009
Dr. Penk receives the Spotlight Award for Special Achievement from Division 18 of the American Psychological Association.
2010
Dr. Penk serves as a consultant and is appointed dean of students at The University of Texas at Austin.
2015
Dr. Penk becomes a consultant for the Career Development Award at the Durham VA Health Care System.
2017
Dr. Penk is honored with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who’s Who.