We partner to create enduring and equitable local solutions that preserve the environment, strengthen the economy, and create healthy, thriving communities that people cherish, protect, and nurture.

Meet
Meghan McDermott

Meet
Meghan
McDermott

Deputy DIRECTOR

meghan.mcdermott@groundworkcenter.org | (773) 294-9650

Meghan sees herself as a connector and a translator, skills that evolved as she grew up in a mix of places and cultures—on a farm, in a city, in a suburb. “I learned how to bridge the seemingly insurmountable gap between city and country life,” she says. “I love being the person in the room who can see both sides and work to find a solution that everyone is satisfied with.”

That appreciation for ideas that unify the many people involved in an issue is an essential asset for Meghan as she guides Groundwork’s mission by overseeing our operations and many programs.

When Meghan joined Groundwork, she signed on with the Food & Farming team, which she eventually directed before moving on to program director and now deputy director. “I am constantly amazed by how uniquely collaborative this region is when it comes to supporting local farmers and helping all members of our community have access to fresh, local, healthy food. I am looking forward to continuing to deepen similar partnerships throughout our organization, and to showcase our region as a model for other communities around the country.”

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Good to know

Education

Bachelor's of Arts from Vassar College, in Food and Sustainability Studies (an independent major featuring courses in sociology, anthropology, environmental studies, chemistry, geography and more) as well as a second major in Psychology, specializing in Consumer Psychology

In her spare time ...

Meghan enjoys cooking meals for family and friends, gardening, reading, traveling, hiking, biking, kayaking, and horseback riding—anything that gets her outside, experiencing new things, and eating delicious food!

Favorite spots in northern Michigan

Her garden just off the Boardman Lake trail, steps from Oryana! You can also find her walking her dog, Bodhi, on the TART trails or shores of Sleeping Bear Dunes most summer days.

Why the prop?

That’s Bodhi, the occasional office dog and backyard garden assistant, as well as some local tomatoes—the first food that made Meghan truly “taste the local difference.”