Megan Godbey

My journey into advocacy began with my own lived experience in the public school system, where I witnessed significant inequities and unfairness. This inspired me to become a teacher, hoping to create change from within. However, once in the classroom, I realized that many of the challenges facing children and families extended far beyond what happened day-to-day in school. Every step I've taken in my career since then has been driven by a desire to be in a position where I could advocate for children and families and build stronger systems of support for our entire community and neighbors. Over the past 20 years in nonprofit and advocacy work, I've learned that any type of work I do requires me to show up and care for myself first, or I won't be able to support others around me. Now, as co-founder of Verdant Center, I'm focused on creating spaces where women can come to fill their cups, discover who they are, and prioritize self-discovery that has often been put on the back burner. We want to see women well and build a world where women are well, recognizing that this individual work contributes to the system-level change I've built my career around.