Experience & Education

The experiences that shaped how I lead.

My path to running for Council hasn't been one straight career. Every chapter — education, athletics, caregiving, business, travel, and motherhood — has taught me something different about leadership, resilience, service, and people.

Megan at her Durham University graduation with her grandmother
Education
Megan at her undergraduate graduation from Lewis University
Analytical thinking

Numbers, ideas, and asking better questions.

B.Sc. Mathematics

Studies in Economics, Philosophy & Coaching

Master of Education

Durham University, England

Megan's undergraduate degree in Mathematics — with additional studies in Economics, Philosophy, and Coaching — built a foundation in analytical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and understanding how systems work. She learned to read data critically, weigh competing perspectives, and communicate complex ideas clearly.

Her Master of Education from Durham University deepened her research skills and her understanding of how people learn, grow, and change. These disciplines translate directly to municipal work: evaluating budgets, scrutinizing plans, asking the right questions, and making decisions grounded in evidence rather than assumption.

Megan with her coaches holding NCAA All-American trophies
Athletics
Megan training CrossFit — wall climb
Megan competing at a CrossFit competition in Europe
Resilience & grit

Discipline built on a track and in a gym.

NCAA All-American

University Heptathlete — Lewis University

Competitive CrossFit

While living in Europe

Competing as a university heptathlete means training for seven different events — sprints, jumps, throws, and endurance — simultaneously. It demands discipline, preparation, and the ability to perform under pressure across wildly different challenges. Megan earned NCAA All-American honours and learned early that showing up consistently, even when progress is slow, is what separates good from great.

Later, competing in CrossFit while living in Europe reinforced those same values in a new environment. Athletics taught her that resilience is not about never struggling — it is about continuing to work when things get hard. That mindset carries directly into public service.

Megan Marchildon — professional portrait
Home Care
Compassion & listening

Understanding community from the inside out.

Working in home care gave Megan a perspective on community that you simply cannot get from a boardroom or a policy document. She worked directly with seniors and families in their homes — witnessing firsthand the realities of aging, independence, dignity, accessibility, and the quiet challenges that rarely make it into public conversation.

That experience shaped how she listens. It taught her that good decisions require understanding how they land for real people — not just in theory, but in practice. Compassion and practicality are not opposites. The best service brings both.

Berlin Cathedral — one of the European cities Megan explored while living abroad
Living & Working Abroad
The stone cottage in England where Megan lived during her Master of Education
Broader perspective

Seeing the world to understand home better.

Studied & Worked in England

Durham University & beyond

Living, studying, and working in England — and travelling broadly across Europe — gave Megan a wider lens for understanding what makes communities work. She saw how different cities and towns approach planning, public space, local business, community programming, and civic life.

That perspective didn't pull her away from Midland — it brought her back with clearer eyes. Seeing what other communities do well, and where they struggle, strengthened her appreciation for what Midland already has and sharpened her sense of what's possible here.

Megan Marchildon seated inside MegaMindful Living surrounded by plants
Small Business
Practical problem-solving

Real experience with the local economy.

Owner & Operator

MegaMindful Living, Downtown Midland

Megan owns and operates MegaMindful Living in the heart of downtown Midland. Building and running a small business has meant navigating staffing, payroll, rising costs, regulations, customer service, marketing, events, and the everyday realities of doing business in a small Ontario town.

She has created local jobs, invested in a downtown property, served thousands of residents and visitors, and organized community events that bring people through the door and into the neighbourhood. She has experienced both the opportunities and the very real difficulties facing entrepreneurs in Midland.

This isn't theoretical knowledge of the local economy — it's frontline experience. When Megan talks about supporting downtown businesses, reducing red tape, or attracting investment, she speaks from the perspective of someone who has lived it.

Megan speaking at a MegaMindful Living community event
Community Building
Leadership & initiative

Community doesn't happen on its own.

Someone has to bring people together — organize, communicate, listen, and turn ideas into action. Megan has spent years doing exactly that: creating events, supporting downtown activity, collaborating with other businesses and organizations, and building spaces where people connect.

She understands that a vibrant community is built through countless small acts of initiative and generosity. And she knows that the role of local government is to support and enable that energy — not get in its way.

Megan with her husband and daughter inside MegaMindful Living
Motherhood
Long-term thinking

Running for the Midland my daughter will grow up in.

Becoming a mother changed the way Megan thinks about the future of Midland. She thinks about safety, parks, recreation, affordability, opportunity, and belonging. She thinks about whether the next generation will want — and be able — to build their lives here.

That's not a political talking point. It's the most personal reason she's running. She wants Midland to be a place her daughter is proud to call home — and she's willing to do the work to help make that happen.

Different experiences. One purpose.

"Every chapter of my life has taught me something different about people, leadership, resilience, service, and community. I don't believe good leadership comes from one particular career or one particular path. It comes from listening, learning, working hard, asking good questions, and being willing to serve. I'm bringing those experiences home to Midland."

— Megan Marchildon, Candidate for Midland Town Council