If you talk to Margaret Farris for more than five minutes, you will quickly learn a few things: she loves public schools, she has never met a stranger, and she is passionate about doing work that matters. Margaret is the new Executive Director of the Foundation for Leon County Schools, but her connection to public education and community service runs deep and spans decades. Her first day with the Foundation was April 7, but her roots in Leon County Schools go way back. She was even named Volunteer of the Year in 2007. With over 20 years of nonprofit experience and a heart for this community, Margaret is not just stepping into a new job, she is stepping into her calling.

Originally from Orlando, Margaret comes from five generations of Floridians deeply rooted in community life. Her grandfather, a well-known attorney and Sun Bank executive, even played a role in bringing Disney to Orlando. That spirit of involvement carried through to Margaret’s mother, who was especially active in education. “This has kind of been part of my life for a really, really long time,” Margaret says. After graduating from UCF, she began her career in marketing and has spent most of her professional life working in nonprofit organizations. “When you work for nonprofits, you end up doing everything, grant writing, events, newsletters… you name it,” she explains.

Margaret and her husband moved to Tallahassee in 2002, when their children were in second and third grade, and today she proudly considers it home. “I have actually lived here longer now than I lived in Orlando,” she says. The move marked more than just a change of zip code, it signaled a new chapter in her commitment to public education. With her kids enrolled at Gilchrist Elementary, Margaret immediately got involved as a school volunteer. “I only knew one person when we moved here,” she recalls, “but through volunteering, I met some of my closest friends, friendships that started in the schools.” 

For Margaret, public education is about more than academics, it is about learning to live and work with people from all walks of life. “I like the diversity of public schools. I think that is what is important in life, you have to learn to get along with everybody,” she says. Her passion for community service continued beyond education. Before joining the Foundation, Margaret founded the Tallahassee chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, a cause close to her heart because of her grandmother’s battle with the disease. At the time, the chapter did not exist locally, but Margaret stepped in to fill the need.

Now, she brings her experience, energy, and love for public education into her new role. Her goals are clear: grow the Foundation, bring more partners to the table, and always put kids first. “It is so much easier to fundraise when you believe in what you are asking for. I am all about the kids,” she says. Margaret does not claim to have all the answers, but she knows what matters. “I am no better than anybody else,” she says. “But I want to make a difference.” 

And if you are wondering, yes, she once shared a slice of pizza with Jimmy Buffett at a concert. “That was pretty cool,” she says, laughing.