Daily Inspiration: Meet Megan Wilson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Wilson.

Hi Megan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

I am an Arizona native, born and raised in Tempe. Daughter of two schoolteachers and middle sister to two brothers.

I began volunteer service at age 14 at the Foundation for Blind Children with my entire family because my older brother received services there when he was diagnosed with visual impairment and Cerebral Palsy. I knew through this experience that I would be in non-profits for my career, just needed to find the right fit.

I am a soccer enthusiast, playing since I was 5 years old. I was lucky to receive a soccer scholarship at South Mountain Community College and after the first season was recruited to play in Portland Oregon for Warner Pacific. Moving to Portland was a BIG change in weather and changed my career directions.  At Warner Pacific one of my first professors was Dr. Fazio and introduced me to the world of Trauma and Human Behavior.

I loved my time in Portland, but I am a big fan of sunshine and I moved back to Arizona in 2009. I began working in the behavioral health field. While doing direct service work, I was motivated to return to school and received my MSW from ASU.  

Once I completed my MSW, I continued work in integrated health care, focusing on Quality and Process Improvement. I found my passion in improving systems of care for the people who need them. Systems are often difficult to navigate, especially when you are looking to them to help relieve some of the stress or burden you are facing. 

All that experience has led me to accept a role as Director of Programs at Tempe Community Action Agency (TCAA), TCAA serves the community by addressing food insecurity, rent, and utility assistance, giving people the right to safely age in place, and homelessness. I couldn’t be more excited to return to my roots in Tempe to help our community thrive through navigation of several services. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

Growing up as a sibling to someone with disabilities has its own unique challenges/lessons. Society can be cruel to those with disabilities often separating them from the others and not always adapting appropriately. For example, my brother and I always attended the same school, but I hardly had the chance to see him as he was in an isolated special needs classroom. As a kid this can be difficult to understand, and this separation can lead to misunderstanding and even fear.  It took me a while to find my voice in standing up to others and being proud of my brother. He taught me some valuable lessons on valuing the small things, all people deserve to be treated with respect and dignity… also, always enjoy your pasta.

My brother taught me how to be a good human and then my mom’s cancer diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma put all that too a test. Her diagnosis changed my world. My mom and I were crazy close, the type of relationship where I would call her every day on my way to work and additional calls if something new happened.  She was fun, had a great laugh, and just cared about so many people.

My circle of friends called her “Mama Jule” because she was everyone’s mom. Her home always open to others and I had friends that would drop in on their own to say hi, grab a beer and at towards the end they would even help take her to her chemo appointments. We were surrounded by love when things were tough because she had given so much of it to the people around her. She had best friends she knew for 2 years to 50 years, we were so lucky she built that support system. She passed away September 2017, and that got me involved with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS).

When my mom was first diagnosed, we had a family friend who was connected to LLS and helped us to secure a treatment grant that helped cover her (insane) medical bills. This allowed my parents to stay in their home and keep affording treatments. In 2018, LLS asked if I would be willing to compete in their Man Woman of the Year competition to raise funds for other families. I said yes, no questions asked (which looking back on it, maybe I should have asked a few).

 I threw all my grief into raising money for an organization I believe in. I collected over 20 friends to join my team and we got to work. This experience kept me above water because I could talk about my mom often and share her story all while raising money to fight blood cancer.  In the end, we raised over $70,000 for LLS, which resulted in a medical grant in my mother’s name.

From the MWOY the year competition we have created an annual Screw Cancer event supporting LLS. We get to celebrate my mom’s life and bring her energy to an event what is open to everyone, just be ready to enjoy drinks, good company, a drag show full of talent, and lots of laughs.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

I am a master’s level social worker. I have worked within the behavioral health system of care for almost ten years. I have been everything from a direct service worker to program development to a corporate trainer to a director.

I believe in creating quality programming and providing the best care to vulnerable populations in Arizona. The most fun I’ve had was training throughout Southern Arizona.

I have either worked for or received assistance from almost every government program in Arizona, so I believe I have a lot of perspective to bring into a room where leaders are often trying to make decisions about systems that others must navigate daily. 

I believe I am most known for speaking up, sometimes this is appreciated, and other times not so much. I am passionate about everything I do and tend to give 110%. I want to make a difference and have learned working within systems that this can be a difficult task and often takes much longer than I would like.  However, I have learned to work within these systems by challenging what has always been and asking just enough questions to open people up to a new perspective. I hope I will always be a little disruptive.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?

It’s all random, roll the dice every day. Sometimes you get critical failure and sometimes you get a critical success. It’s all about how you handle it.

Contact Info:

• Email: MeganW@TempeAction.org