My name is Megan Wheeler and I serve in the HUD Office of Field Policy and Management (FPM) in the Kansas City Regional Office. I began my federal career nearly three years ago, first in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) as a student intern, then joining the FPM team at the beginning of my second year. In December of 2021, I was accepted into the Presidential Management Fellowship program and just recently completed a 7-month rotation in the HUD Office of Public Affairs. So far, my time in HUD has been full of opportunity, growth, and many of the intrinsic rewards that come with public service.

Becoming a public servant has been a long-time goal of mine. It began, when as a young child, I was heavily influenced by my grandmother who was a staunch community advocate for her tiny town in Central Kansas. She took great pride in where she was from and worked hard to improve her community. She was instrumental in several local initiatives, including the creation of a community food bank where those less fortunate could get nutritious food and the addition of an elevator at her church to improve accessibility. Her drive, passion, persistence, and love played a critical role in shaping how I saw myself as a citizen and neighbor.

As a young woman, my grandmother worked as a schoolteacher. Once she became a wife and a mother, she was discouraged from returning to work as the school did not feel that she could balance being both a mother and a teacher. They preferred teachers who were single, young women with few personal ties. Though much has changed for women in the workplace since my grandmother’s time, there is often still a price to pay for those who leave the workforce to care for children. I have witnessed more than one female colleague having to accept positions that they were overqualified for upon returning to work. I have seen women seeking leadership opportunities who find themselves set back or starting over after taking time off. But becoming a mother does not diminish a woman’s skill or professional capacity. If we are a culture that truly values compassionate leaders and a diverse workforce, then we should not penalize those who decide to step out temporarily to care for our next generation. For this Women’s History Month, I am hopeful we will someday recognize that professional development does not only take place at work and that many of the roles women play in their personal lives absolutely prepare them to lead in the workplace.

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