Policy Analyst
Children's Health
Hometown
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
What was the most valuable lesson you learned as a child, and how has it influenced your life today?
I was raised with stories that taught values like loving your neighbor and treating others with dignity and respect through my family’s religious beliefs. I really took those lessons to heart, and they shaped me into someone with a strong grounding in social justice, a path I began in my early teens and later pursued through my education in social work and public health, as well as my work in those fields.
What was your favorite meal or dish that your family would make, and do you still enjoy it today?
As a proper Pittsburgh native, I grew up eating pirogies and kielbasa nearly once a week. While I try not to eat those types of foods regularly, and it's hard to find good Eastern European food in Utah, I would not say no if you handed me a plate right now.
What was your favorite hobby or extracurricular activity as a child, and did you pursue it further later in life?
My parents encouraged me more in music than they did in athletics. I played the flute until high school, and then I joined choir in ninth grade. By senior year, I opted to skip my lunch period to participate in women's choir, jazz choir, and concert choir. I carried that through my college years as a member of the University of Pittsburgh Treble Choir Ensemble. Unfortunately, I haven't actively performed outside of my car since graduating over a decade ago.
What was your favorite thing about being a child, and do you try to hold onto that spirit as an adult?
As a child, I used to love to write stories and make up long "pretend" scenarios about grand adventures and quests, maybe with a few witches and elves along the way. I think that still translates into the books that I choose to read for pleasure today, which are often surrealist or magical realism-type genres. I also love a good adventure, and spent a lot of time traveling as cheaply as possible to far off places with my husband before having kids. Now that my kids are getting to more travel-friendly ages, we are looking forward to sharing that love of adventure with them.
What was the most challenging experience you faced as a child, and how did you overcome it?
I think that everyone has their challenges, and it's so important that we equip children with the positive, protective factors that help them to be resilient and thrive. For me, my most challenging experiences came early on. My mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and spent several months hospitalized soon after I was born, and as an indirect result, my biological parents separated when I was around 18 months old.
I was lucky enough to have extended family that stepped in and showed me the love, stability, and support that a young child needs and that my parents weren't able to give to me at the time. As I grew up and my life stabilized, my mom's story became an important driver for me, showing me an incredible example of resilience and drive as I watched her rebuild and leverage the resources available to her to pursue a career that worked within the bounds of her differing abilities. It also lead me to a passion for health and social systems that support children and families in similar circumstances.
Biography
Megan brings more than a decade of experience in public health and social services, with a career dedicated to improving access to care for underserved families and children. Before joining Voices for Utah Children, she held roles across community health, research institutions, and state and national training and technical-assistance programs. In these positions, Megan translated complex research, data, and regulatory guidance into clear, actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and the public. She has also led and supported cross-sector partnerships to expand behavioral-health capacity, strengthen health workforce pathways, and improve equitable access to care across Pennsylvania and Utah.
With graduate training in social work and public health from the University of Pittsburgh, Megan’s background includes work in early childhood advocacy and maternal and child health. She is deeply committed to data-driven, equity-centered policy and collaborative work that ensures all Utah children have access to quality health care. At Voices, Megan draws on her experience, relationships, and passion for health equity to advance the organization’s mission of giving every child a voice. She is thrilled to contribute her expertise to the team.
Outside of work, Megan enjoys skiing with her family, exploring new places, and traveling with her husband and two young children.
