Dr. Penta received her undergraduate degree from Rice University as part of the combined BA/MD program and also studied abroad in Santiago, Chile. She then received her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine. She started a residency in Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Missouri before deciding to change her specialty to radiology. She completed her Diagnostic Radiology Residency at University of Texas Southwestern in her home state of Texas and returned to California for fellowship training in Neuroradiology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
After completing her training, she joined the faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine teaching Diagnostic Radiology Residents and Neuroradiology Fellows as a Clinical Associate Professor.
She is American Board of Radiology certified in Diagnostic Radiology with additional CAQ certification in Neuroradiology. She is a member of the American Society of Neuroradiology, American Society of Head and Neck Radiology, and the American Association of Women in Radiology.