When Maggie moved to Sydney in late 2021 from the US, she embraced the adventure of starting fresh in a new country. With a background in events, it took her longer than she anticipated to find a new job as gatherings were restricted at that time. A worldwide pandemic did not make it easy for her to make friends in a new country either! Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 lockdowns, Maggie’s journey led her to a fulfilling role as the Events and Volunteer Manager at the Little BIG Foundation.
One of Maggie’s most cherished memories with the Foundation is organising the Volunteers’ Christmas Party in December 2023. This event was a joyful celebration of the hard work and dedication of the volunteers and highlighted the incredible sense of community that the organisation works tirelessly to foster.
The most rewarding part of her job? Working with the volunteers—creative people who want to do something good for the community! Of course, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Public speaking, for instance, was a big challenge for Maggie. But with a little preparation and a lot of practice, she turned it into an opportunity for personal growth and professional development.
Outside of her professional life, Maggie is an explorer at heart. She loves hiking in the Blue Mountains and along the coast, attending trivia nights, and relaxing with a few beers. She’s also a podcast aficionado with a keen interest in current events, soccer, and thought-provoking discussions.
Maggie’s gran, an unconventional and inspiring figure, has had a profound influence on her life. Looking ahead, Maggie envisions herself living in a small house with a big garden, surrounded by friends and family, and continuing to build strong communities. She dreams of backpacking through Asia and Europe, adding more adventures to her life story.
Maggie’s journey with the Little BIG Foundation is a wonderful blend of overcoming personal challenges and creating meaningful connections. Her dedication and passion make her an invaluable part of the Little BIG community, and her story is one of resilience, growth, and inspiration.
Here is more about Maggie:
I’ve been a part of the Little BIG Foundation for…
Over one and a half years now! I started in January 2023.
My role as the Events and Volunteer Manager involves…
Onboarding volunteers, supporting hosts in their events, running the trainings and other volunteer events, running other events run by the foundation, always attempting to improve all our processes as we are a very new org that is still learning, etc.
I am passionate about working with volunteers because…
I think volunteers are the most amazing people and it is so cool that they give their time freely for a cause that they believe in.
I aim to support our community by…
Supporting the volunteers as best I can in their events and always working on how best to create connection between neighbours!
The top thing on my bucket list is…
Oooh this is hard. Maybe not the top of my bucket list, but up there – I would love to swim with the jellyfish in Palau! They have evolved to not sting because there are no predators, and it just seems like a crazy experience!
I’m most grateful for…
The amazing support system I have – my partner, friends and family are the most important things in my life.
A recent impactful moment in my role was when…
I was able to do mid-year check-ins with all the volunteers! It is just so nice to see everyone’s faces and connect in small groups 😊
