Although her mother was a single mother, she always had time to help those less fortunate. As a founding father of Boy’s Town, her grandfather always set the example of helping young people achieve their dreams.
During her collegiate career, Margo was elected to student government, and served in a number of campus volunteer programs. It wasn’t until life circumstances lead her to Kiwanis nearly twenty-nine years ago, did she find a place to help young people, and serve her community.
In 1976 Margo graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy. Two years later Margo became a Certified Public accounting after working for Coopers and Lybrand (now PWC) as an external auditor, and for Chamberlain Manufacturing, a multi-faceted corporation as an internal auditor. After traveling weekly for Chamberlain, she settled down in Tucson, Arizona, at one of their subsidiaries. She ultimately went to work at the University of Arizona Foundation, and then the main campus in numerous accounting positions. It was after her youngest daughter was hospitalized for almost two weeks in a Children’s Hospital in Tucson that she discovered Kiwanis, and joined the Kiwanis club of the Old Pueblo.
As a Kiwanis member she became very active, serving as president, treasurer, and various committee chairs for her club, as well as on division and district committees. She had been elected Lieutenant Governor, when once again life had other plans–her spouse was moved to California, and she followed with her children. After moving to California, Margo joined the staff at California State University, Northridge in the summer of 1994. Of course it would not have seemed like home without Kiwanis, so she joined the Kiwanis club of Northridge, and then became a charter member of the Kiwanis Rose Float club in 2000.
Margo has served in many capacities in the CNH District, including club president, treasurer, secretary, and numerous committee chairs. She served as Lieutenant Governor in 2002-2003, served on numerous cabinets, and served as a Regional Advisor to KIWIN’S, CNH Key Club, as well as Circle K. She has served as the District Administrator to the KIWIN’S Key Club District for seven years (2004-2006, 2010-2015), and as the CNH District Treasurer four years (2006-2010).
Margo joined the Foundation board the first time in 2004, and served as a board member for five years. In 2010, she rejoined the board, and has served on numerous committees, including Finance, Audit, SLP Scholarships, Partner Hospitals and Governance to name a few. Margo is a Diamond Level 15 Dunlap, a Foundation Legacy Fellowship member, a charter member of Champion for Children’s, a Core Value Accelerate Donor, a Rose Float level two donor, and a District Tablet of Honor recipient.
Margo has also served on other community organizations, such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the San Fernando Valley Girl Scouts, the San Fernando YMCA, the University of Arizona College of Humanities Advisory Board, and Tucson Festival Society: a cultural awareness organization, the Junior League of Tucson, and a number of other organizations.
As the Foundation President, Margo’s goals include building a stronger relationship with the clubs in the Cal-Nev-Ha District and the Foundation; providing greater education about the Foundation and our current programs to clubs; increase support to our existing partner hospitals, as well as adding partner hospitals in underserved areas of the District; increasing the scholarships provided to our Service Leadership members; and continuing to provide leadership training opportunities to their leaders. The Foundation wants to be a partner in service to the clubs throughout the District.
Margo strongly believes we can achieve these goals through our fundraising initiatives. This includes the Accelerate Initiative, as well as other fundraising opportunities. By increasing the Foundation’s assets, we can indeed increase our support to Kiwanis and SLP clubs through the grants programs, increase our scholarship programs, add additional partner hospitals, as well as increase grants to our six partner hospitals.