“Because of Hardy Girls Healthy Women I am able to love who I am completely, inside and out and teach others how to as well. I have learned how to take action in the world around me, be a leader, and state my opinions without hesitation. Hardy Girls has shaped me into the strong, independent girl I am today.”
Megan Williams
Megan Williams, President, is a graduate of Colby College with a B.A. in Sociology and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS). In 2004, she received the Founder's Prize for academic excellence and commitment to the activist roots of the Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies Program at Colby College. During her time at Colby, she interned with the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Hardy Girls Healthy Women, and was the campus organizer for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England's March on Washington in 2004.
After graduation, Megan served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer at Hardy Girls. She was then hired as Hardy Girls' first staff person and executive director in August 2005.
During her six years with Hardy Girls Healthy Women, Megan has nurtured the ten-year-old nonprofit from its local roots into a flourishing organization with programs featuring mentoring, an emphasis on strength and activism, and national workshops and curricula.
Megan was included on Mainebiz's 2009 Next List - a group of ten emerging leaders recognized for shaping the future of Maine's economy and most recently was given the first ever Open Door Award from the Frances Perkins Center, an award given to a woman under 30 who has demonstrated exceptional leadership.
Megan serves on the steering committee for KV Connect, a networking group for young professionals designed to attract and retain people 21-40 years old to the Waterville area and she is a board member of MaineShare.