Megan Kashner
Megan Kashner
Overview
For over 20 years Megan Kashner, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, walked alongside low-income families, creating relationships, programs and supports that would help people reach their goals and provide a sound future for their children. When she woke up on February 13, 2011 with the idea of Benevolent she saw a solution that had the potential not only to plug the gaps for families and support their pursuit of personal goals, but to introduce a new perspective on the experiences of low-income Americans who had for too long been publicly denigrated. Megan shares her determination here: “I want no low-income family to become homeless, jobless, or stuck because of a busted radiator, certification class or other simple solution. I am fixedly determined to reimagine and redesign the way we experience the stories of low-income families and how we act as small-dollar donors, thinkers and advocates wanting to make a real and personal impact.” Megan earned a BA in Public Policy and American Civilization from Brown University, a master’s degree from University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Megan has served as an Executive Director for the Taproot Foundation and earlier for the Infant Welfare Society of Evanston, Chief Development Officer for Chicago’s Deborah’s Place and Program Director for organizations including the Howard Area Community Center, Methodist Youth Services and the Heartland Alliance. A frequent panelist and presenter at conferences, Megan recently spoke at the White House Forum on Philanthropy Innovation, TedX, the Council on Foundations annual conference and the Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC). Megan has been a guest blogger on Beth Kanter's Blog, Ashoka's Starting Empathy Blog, and on the TakePart Blog. A New York to Chicago transplant, Megan and her partner live in Evanston, IL where they raise their two children, attend more
