It was in college when Margaret Nelson first realized she wanted to work with people.
And now she couldn’t imagine doing anything else. As executive director of the River Center, Nelson has endless opportunities to meet and talk with people from all over the region. She’s the face of the nonprofit that is in the business of helping people, whether it be young parents or those in need.
She had a particularly interesting human resources professor as she pursued her business administration degree at the University of Maine in Orono and “I thought that’s what I want to do,” she said.
Her first job out of college was working in HR at the Bangor Mental Health Institute, a state-run organization. But she quickly realized it wasn’t exactly what she wanted to do. Since it was a state operation, it took a vote of the legislature to change anything and having to mediate complaints always made one side of the argument unhappy.
“And I kind of like people to like me,” she said.
And while moving to Bangor wasn’t exactly what she expected on the career front, on the personal side it was a life-changing moment. Nelson met her husband David at a local church and the two went on to have three daughters.
Looking for a change, Nelson began sending out resumes to hospital facilities in southern Maine and southern New Hampshire. Nelson grew up in Greene, Maine, in the house her grandfather built in 1912, and David was from Connecticut, so the young couple wanted to be in close proximity to family.
She landed a job in human resources at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene and they moved into a small cabin that David’s family owned in West Swanzey. They lived there for six years and it’s where their family grew from two to five. Nelson said they stayed in the woods for so long because after purchasing a piece of property in Dublin, David, who is an artist, built their new house by himself. And it is still where they call home.
“Not bad considering he was a fine arts major,” Nelson said. “And that was before YouTube.”
For 20 years, Nelson was a stay at home mom. It was busy with three kids, and she wanted the time to focus on them. But as a person who loves to be around people, Nelson knew she needed to stay involved with the community. For ten years she ran the Community Bible Study based out of Peterborough, where upwards of 80 women and 40 or more children attended. She oversaw a group of dedicated volunteers and it helped fine-tune her leadership and public speaking skills that came in handy when she applied for her current role at the River Center.
“We need to be involved. Our community is only as strong as the people involved in it,” Nelson said.
With the kids all older and thinking “it was time for mom to make some money” Nelson got back into the workforce, working part-time in sales before being laid off. But in Nelson’s mind, it wasn’t a bad thing.
When the executive director position at the River Center opened up, Nelson thought it would be the perfect situation.
“I looked at the job, but thought not in my dreams,” she said. “I didn’t dare apply.”
Then at the urging of a friend she did. She figured she’d never know unless she tried. It turned into an interview and eventually an offer. She even heard she was the last application they got.
“To this day I’m amazed they took all my pieces and parts and offered me the job,” Nelson said.
As executive director, Nelson wears many hats and is able to do so because she can depend on her staff and volunteers.
“I’ve got great people who know what they’re doing and my job is to make sure they have what they need,” Nelson said.
She’s the president of the board for Family Support NH, whose mission is to bring together family resource centers and family support programs within the state to share a common vision of family support practices. Nelson also works with the Monadnock Home Visiting Alliance and the Monadnock Parent Education Collective, all in an effort to ensure that similar groups to the River Center have an understanding of what each one is doing. She also serves on the board of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce.
“All of us can benefit from knowing what we’re all doing,” Nelson said.
Each one takes a certain amount of time, but for Nelson it’s all part of her undeniable goal to promote the River Center. The greatest challenge she faces is that people just don’t know what the River Center is and all it offers.
“Do you have kids? Because that’s what we’re here for,” Nelson said.
“There are things to learn along the way and we’re here to support parents on that journey,” she added.
Nelson is passionate about the work of the River Center because “real people are impacted by what we do.”
“I don’t have to ask myself why am I getting up and going to work,” she said.
In addition to supporting parents and families, the River Center partners with the community to offer connections for free tax preparation and money coaching, referral services and onsite opportunities with Southern New Hampshire Fuel Assistance, Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter and Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention.
There are times that Nelson has to answer the phone because that’s what you do when you’re in charge of a small nonprofit.
“A lot of times someone told them to call the River Center and they don’t know what to do,” Nelson said.
All three of her children have spread their wings to other parts of the country and world. Her older daughter Emily lives in Rwanda with her husband and three children. Her other two daughters, Averill and Nora, both live in Durham, North Carolina. In all, Nelson has five grandchildren aged 5 and under, and recently had them all home for a visit.
Being outside is a big part of Nelson’s free time. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing and camping. Her and David have outfitted a Sienna minivan for their camping adventures, something they’ve been doing since the kids were little. They took three cross-country camping trips when the girls were growing up and they always make it up to Arcadia at least once a year.
One of her favorite hikes leads her to the top of Beech Hill, where you can see Mount Monadnock in one direction and Skatutakee Mountain in the other.
Seeing new places and exploring is just something both Nelson and her husband enjoy. They have a tripped planned for Rwanda this winter and many places on the list to visit.
She knits for relaxation and is strong in her Christian beliefs.
“Our faith is very much a part of who we are,” Nelson said.
And for someone who set out to work with people and make an impact, Nelson is doing it on a daily basis.