MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MEGGAN THOMAS
/Studio IX:
Good morning, Meggan.
Meggan Thomas:
Good morning.
Studio IX:
So tell us a bit about what it is you do.
Meggan:
I’m Meggan Thomas. I work at Virginia Humanities, which is a non-academic center of UVA. And my role is in fundraising. I’m part of a small advancement team. There are four of us and we're hiring a fifth to be our director. We raise money for the operations at Virginia Humanities. I work specifically with companies and foundations, so it's a lot of grant writing and proposal submission and partnership development across the state.
We have a lot of different programs and then we have more broad, overarching goals, so I have to stay on top what's going on, so that when I'm talking to people outside the organization, I can figure out how to fit them into the puzzle. It's a place in fundraising that I've come to really enjoy. A deeper strategic role, which I love and Virginia Humanities is doing great work, particularly right now. So, it's really gratifying.
Studio IX:
How did you come to find yourself at Virginia Humanities?
Meggan:
I moved to Charlottesville in October 2019. My husband took a position at UVA, so that moved our family here from Nebraska. I had been working in nonprofits pretty much all of my career. I began in the Peace Corps out of college and most of where I’ve worked since has been more traditional non-profits like Habitat for Humanity and food banks and places like that. It was not until my most recent position at Habitat, back in Omaha, that I really got into the corporate foundation side of things., because I have found that I'm too sensitive to other people to really be good at individual fundraising.
So, the corporate foundation stuff, I really like for that strategic element. So that was what I was looking for when we moved to Charlottesville. I started at Darden. And Darden is phenomenal, but ultimately that environment was not the right fit for me. I worked on corporate sponsorships and partnerships there. I did that for a couple months and then found the role at Virginia Humanities, it's a new position.
When I went in to talk to Maggie (Guggenheimer), who was there at the time and Matthew Gibson, their new executive director, I just felt I could pick up on the culture and where the organization was going, which has not let me down. I started in March 2020, which was hard. I started March 16. That afternoon I came into the office. Everyone was frantically packing up their desks and it was like, "Peace." And at the time I was like, "Oh, two weeks, three weeks, whatever." And I'm like, "Oh, okay. This is cool. I'll just grab my laptop and be on my way." And then, here we are. But I'm a silver linings person and so, what I feel has been helpful is that I just have very intentional conversations, one-on-one with people across the organization all day. When you can do it in a more intentional way, I think you gain clarity. We could just keep certain things moving a little quicker, because we didn't have the side chatter of other daily happenings.
Studio IX:
What are you passionate about?
Meggan:
I'll always work in nonprofits or in public service in some capacity. I'm very much an outside the box person. So, it'll be interesting to see how my life progresses. I think there's a lot of inefficiency in the way that we do things and it would just be really great to see nonprofits become more of advocacy outlets, to better utilize their platform.
Seeing people think differently about how and why they give out money and to whom and what that process looks like. Who’s at the table for that and on, and on. The power dynamics. That really interests me.
In prior iterations of life I've been, like I said, really involved with affordable housing and that is something that I definitely see myself returning to, whether it's through a city/state group, non-profit or just in my personal life.
It’s been interesting to learn more about that here in Charlottesville, obviously a critical issue. It leads to worlds combined, because Virginia Humanities hosts the Festival Of The Book, and just last month they had Matthew Desmond, who authored Evicted. It's been expansive to see how different organizations have a role to play in different causes. My prior thinking had been more rigid: “Oh, I have to work at Habitat for Humanities to impact affordable housing.” I'm not ruling that out, but I think it was interesting to see how that talk sparked a bigger conversation and a melding of minds. I'm passionate about affordable housing.
I have two little girls and in prior cities that I've lived I've been part of the women's groups to think about pay equity and messaging for young girls, grants for girl-focused SEM groups of youth groups in town, and things like that.
I also love to cook and running's been a saving grace this year. So, I'm really trying to find the mind body connection as well.
Studio IX:
Was there a light switch moment for you? Something that drew you to service work—to social justice?
Meggan:
Well, two things come to mind. One is that I had a fairly comfortable, middle class upbringing in a conservative household. Although I'll give my mom credit as she's very engaging and curious. I went to a private school and there was a lot of comfort. And then I went to Boston College. Boston College is Jesuit so a lot of the service work that I did in school was very impactful. I think I went into my undergraduate being a brat and I came out being like, "Holy shit! The world is really big and I don't know anything."
During that time we toured a homeless shelter and I was just blown away. I remember the woman who was the coordinator walking us around. She explained to all of us that we were going to stay for the day and do a number of projects that they had lined up for us and I was like, "You mean to tell me that you can do this for a living?" I didn't verbalize these thoughts, but I thought: "That is the coolest thing of all time…You can earn a paycheck just running a place like this and figuring out how to get the quilts donated and who cleans up things?" My operational brain, my soul, everything was just clicking. I was like, "Oh my God, this is what I want to do forever."
So that was impactful.
I went into the Peace Corps thinking I wanted to do something in international type work, international development or something. I was stationed in a little village in West Africa. And people were just so connected with each other. A totally different culture. I don't know quite how to describe it. They had almost nothing by our standards, and somebody walks into their yard and they just come sit down. And the pot doesn't grow but there's no question. So, I got hooked on local development from that experience…and from having seen a number of international nonprofits at that time come in and just screw shit up.
Studio IX:
It sounds as though that exposure pulled you out of something.
Meggan:
Yeah.
Studio IX:
Into a broader world. Having these direct experiences. Being in a place with those people. In their world.
Meggan:
Totally. Actually, I think that's a really fair thread.
I'm grateful for you pointing that out because I think that that is a concrete example of what has made all the difference.
Studio IX:
Where do you see yourself moving forward? It sounds as if you have a measure in your mind…that you can see the next step and the next step. What does that look like right now…in light of Covid…social unrest? Amidst such uncertainty?
Meggan:
Yeah. Well, I have been proven wrong almost every time I've tried to do this. (laughter). Lay out a plan, that is.
I can get stuck in thinking "I haven't done enough"…“Haven’t contributed enough.” It's easy to compare myself to other people. And then I think, "Oh man! Five years ago I was in a totally different place.” Things have changed. I've evolved.
As for the current state of things, I think that if I stay in philanthropy I'll have a lot more grappling to do—choices to make. I would love to see myself contribute something in that space. I think fundraising people need to join in these larger conversations and be the bridge between the need for people to raise money and keeping the lights on.
But also to hold space for that. To say, "This is complicated and messy and what are we going to do?" But I think there's a whole different track that may unfold for me in a different organization. I don't know what that looks like, but I'm not closing the door on it.
Studio IX:
You could run the Department of the Interior.
Meggan:
There we go.
Studio IX:
Or just be Secretary of State.
Meggan:
That would be awesome.
Meggan:
Honestly, I guess to put a point on your question, 2020 gave me a renewed vigor for somehow being in the political space—whether that's through a nonprofit that I'm in and figuring out how to further our advocacy, or even in my personal life in a different professional capacity. I mean, there's been a long period of time where I'm just like, "That is a dirty, ugly business and I don't want any part of it." And if we continue to do that we're putting out the fires but not addressing how the fires are starting. You know what I mean?
Studio IX:
Absolutely. We could use more good minds and hearts like yours in Washington.
Meggan:
It feels privileged at this point to be like, "I don't want to be part of that—that's messy."
Studio IX:
Yes
Meggan:
So that could be another point.
Studio IX:
You could serve in Abrams cabinet.
Meggan:
Can you imagine?
Studio IX:
How has it been working here at Studio IX?
Meggan:
I have always been an ‘offsite’ person. I don't work from home. I'm very sensitive to people in my environment and that could either help or drain me. So it's been really positive and it's something that I knew I needed and I was grateful to find this environment. A place that mentally feels clear and energetic and I have my routine. My productivity has increased by folds here.
In a year where I feel my employer was very supportive and flexible with me, I just felt I needed to do everything I could, to be honest with myself, where it's almost self-care. 2020 has been a year where I'm thinking more openly about what a work day looks like. If I can come in and I can get four to six hours of productive work done, I'm good. When I'm here, I'm not getting co-worker interruptions. I can just get my stuff done and then I can carry on with my day.
The environment is critical.
When we go back to the office I think that I'll be able to make some more informed decisions for myself. Typically you just go along with the flow of what's expected and what's normal. When you’re forced to step away from that you realize, "Okay, there are positives and negatives." — I'll definitely be seeking a more hybrid approach in the future. I would assume most people will if they can.
Studio IX:
We think so, too.