BIOGRAPHY

Born and raised in Indianola, IA, Megan is an avid lover of all things Midwest (including sweet corn and Casey’s breakfast pizza). But that didn’t keep her from exploring the rest of the world at a young age. Today, she has visited over 20 countries and has aspirations to visit every country in the world during her lifetime.

Megan attended the University of Iowa where she studied International Studies with a focus on International Business and Spanish. Her interest in international and political affairs has led to her living, working, or studying in the countries of Uruguay, Spain, Colombia, and Brazil over the past six years. Because of her particular interest in Latin American, Megan speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

Megan has held positions within the private, public, and government sectors, which include working for the State of Arkansas in Little Rock, AR, Harvesters food bank in Kansas City, MO, and the Greater Des Moines Partnership in Des Moines, IA. While completing her Masters in Public Service, Megan was brought on as Atlas’  first student fellow and worked on a placemaking project in Cabot, AR. She conducted focus groups and interviews with local residents to gather the community’s input which allowed her to develop a playbook for a cultural center, art installations, and wayfinding signage. She also conducted community background research, survey development, and analysis, as well as grant writing. In January 2021, she was brought on full-time as a Community Developer and is excited to continue working closely with rural communities throughout the U.S.

Megan currently resides in Kansas City, MO, and spends her time eating her way through all the local taco places and drinking cold brew at the abundance of coffee shops throughout the area.

EDUCATION

Masters of Public Service University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service

Bachelor of Arts International Studies, Spanish, Anthropology, University of Iowa

AWARDS & HONORS

Boren Fellowship – 2019

EXPERIENCE

International Affairs & Politics

Latin American Studies

International Business

Program Development & Evaluation