Megan McDonough, a 2008 graduate of the Master of Regional Planning (MRP) program at UMass Amherst and Executive Director of the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, was selected as one of BusinessWest's 2024 Women of Impact. BusinessWest created the Women of Impact awards in 2018 as a way to honor the women in the region that are making an impact.
"It's an honor to be recognized as a Women of Impact here in Western Mass, and I appreciate my colleagues who nominated me," said McDonough. "Impact is such a funny word since it often implies force and immediacy, like the impact of a hammer on a nail. But the impact I have made is part of collective action, of the many hammers lifted by Habitat volunteers. Of the dreams uplifted by creating space for low-income people to build their own homes. So, anyone reading this feel free to come join me, we can care for each other and our neighbors together."
McDonough studied regional planning at UMass Amherst because of her interests in sustainability, housing, and her urge to make a difference. Since graduating from the master's program in 2008, McDonough had gained a depth of experience in the nonprofit sector with a special interest on finding solutions to community housing needs. McDonough worked at the Center for EcoTechnology (CET) in Northampton for seven years before joining Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity in 2013, where she quickly rose from Office Manager to Operations Director and then to Executive Director. For the past decade, McDonough has been leading the team's effort to change lives one house at a time.
"Having a master's degree in Regional Planning from UMass Amherst gave me the confidence and credibility early in my career to pursue additional responsibilities at work. And perhaps more importantly, my education itself gave me the grounding in a wide range of policy and practice that lead me to my work in affordable housing," said McDonough.
Read more about Megan McDonough in BusinessWest's 2024 Women of Impact feature.
