Dare to Imagine: Meghan Whitman

Women Lifting Other Women

Meghan is an inspiration and mentor to women in the National Park Service and Wildland Fire! I met Meghan when she was leading a fire effects field crew and again during the Women-in-Fire Training Exchange (WTREX). I was instantly struck by Meghan's keen interest in learning through asking questions to gain clarity and understanding. Meghan serves as a mentor by demonstrating the importance of speaking up and using her voice to elevate herself and others around her.

-Melissa Forder, NPS National Fire Planner and Wildland Fire Operations Program Leader, National Interagency Fire Center

Meghan, what project would you like to highlight?

I am a participant of the Southeast Region Future Leaders Program, and as part of the program I’m working on the Mental Health Matters group project.

Will you tell us a little about that project?

The goal of the Mental Health Matters group project is to help end or lessen the stigma around asking for help and mental health issues, along with giving supervisors tools to talk about mental health with their employees. The tools we created are a wellness handbook, a 30 day clear wellness challenge, multiple wellness safety tailgates, and an email signature highlighting mental health with a link to the wellness and resilience portal. At the beginning of the project we struggled to find all the resources available to park employees, so we wanted to help make that easier. Our thought was if someone needs help they shouldn’t have to dig and search for the help they need, our signature and handbook help to address this. Our clear challenge and wellness tailgates are meant to be conversation starters which encourage having moments to pause and check in with one’s self. This project has grown and shifted since we started working on it, through those changes we have been able to create some amazing things. Our group even has Mental Health Matters COVID face masks, and stickers with our logo.

What was your path like? How did you get to where you are now?

After graduating high school, I joined the US Navy, and was stationed on the USS Constitution. After leaving the Navy I attended college in Reno Nevada, eventually completing my bachelors at University of Nevada, Reno in Forest Management and Ecology with an emphasis on restoration and ecology. While in school I completed a summer with the Nevada Conservation Corps on a trail crew and worked in a university plant lab helping weed as well as water plants from the Seeds of Success program and helped grad students with their research. After graduating I worked two summer seasons with the Great Basin Institute (GBI) in Winnemucca and Tonopah Nevada. During the winters following GBI work I went back to serving tables at a diner and working as a barista at Starbucks, these were the moments I didn’t think I would make it. Then I got my first park job at Devils Tower National Monument spraying weeds. Later I got promoted to the lead of the Mountain Pine Beetle crew. The following summer I worked on the Northern Great Plains Fire Effects program based at Wind Cave National Park, this is where I worked on my first wildfire. During winter I worked on the Mississippi River Zone fire effects network based out of Natchez Trace Parkway and got my first taste of prescribed fire. The next summer my partner and I both got jobs at Yosemite National Park, it was really wonderful to live and work with the guy I love, not to mention the park was pretty awesome too. The following winter I went back to Natchez Trace Parkway and in the spring I got the Lead position. I stayed at Natchez Trace Parkway until the opportunity at one of my dream parks presented itself bringing us to Redwood. I think the biggest things that got me to where I am is I continue to put myself out in the world, I try, and I take the opportunities as they come.

What was the hardest part about getting where you are? How did you overcome it? 

The hardest part of my job is being on the road spending large chunks of time away form the people I love. On top of traveling a lot for work I’ve moved a lot for work opportunities. It’s changed recently but I moved every 6 months for 6 years to get to where I am. My family and personal relationships shoulder the burden of me being constantly on the move. Thankfully my fiancé is a wonderful supportive guy who constantly encourages me to strive for the things I want. My parents are understanding with the limited time I have off to spend with them, so we plan visits way in advance. Also, I lean on my brother who is also a wildland firefighter when I need to better understand or process fire related things.

Meghan doing yoga

What are you most proud of?

The thing I’m most proud of recently is I completed 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training! It was all made possible by getting an NPS fire workforce development grant that paid for most of the training. I am one of those people who gets super nervous presenting and public speaking. Teaching yoga has really challenged me to get more comfortable in those settings. While at my previous position at Natchez Trace Parkway I taught classes to fire staff with just a few participants. Last Summer I was able to teach a class to some of the crew. Most recently I started teaching weekly classes to park staff here at Redwood. I feel lucky to get to teach to park staff and hope that I help give folks a moment to take care of themselves while checking in with their body and breath.

Favorite Quote?

Links

For Park Employees:

Wellness & Resilience Portal (sharepoint.com)
Forum – NPS Mental Health and Wellness – NPS: Common Learning Portal
Espyr

For Public:

Mental Health Awareness Month
Park Rx Day
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
National Domestic Abuse Hotline
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

The Dare to Imagine Project is funded by an Innovation and Impact Grant provided by the National Park Foundation. This grant supports projects and programs that help the National Park Service share a more comprehensive American narrative that includes the voices of women whose vision, tenacity, and resilience moved them to climb mountains, take down barriers, shape history, protect the environment, and lead social movements. Read more of these women's stories on the Dare to Imagine page.