We are excited to welcome Meagan Roloff, CAE, to the NAGC team as Director of Member Services & Engagement. We asked Meagan to share her background and introduce herself to the NAGC membership.

As I start my experience with NAGC, I am eager to learn from the organization and join the staff and membership in promoting gifted education. I started my professional life as a child life specialist. I studied child development in college and pursued child life because it combined my interests in social-emotional well-being and teaching.

As a child life specialist, I provided individualized medical education, coping support, and therapeutic and developmental play opportunities to pediatric patients and their families. I loved tailoring information to the exact developmental level, strengths, and interests of each child I encountered and watching them master healthcare experiences that challenge adults. I will never forget one 6-year-old patient who proudly explained her cancer diagnosis and chemo treatment to the absolute shock of her nurse after we completed a medical education and play session. She may not have used medical terminology, but she clearly understood her diagnosis and wanted to participate in her care actively.

When we empower children with the education and language to discuss their diagnosis, their social-emotional well-being is better during their care, and their medical outcomes also improve. Children receiving personalized medical education and coping plans can complete invasive procedures without the additional risks or costs of sedation and anesthesia. Every day as a child life specialist was a reminder that children are capable of mastering so much more than adults often give them credit for. All it takes is a little time and a willingness to meet them where they are with honest, accurate, age-appropriate information, and a strengths-based approach – something I suspect NAGC members know well!

After some time as a child life specialist, I sought a way to have a more significant impact. The work I did was so important, but I felt limited by the number of children and families I could personally impact. I jumped into association management, first at the Association of Child Life Professionals and then at the Health Industry Distributors Association. While I miss the direct interaction with children and families, I find so much fulfillment in knowing my work connects professionals with the resources, services, and community they need to succeed. I take great pride in knowing my work’s impact is exponentially greater through the members we serve than anything I could achieve individually.

Joining the NAGC staff feels like coming home. My family has multiple generations of educators, ranging from classroom teachers to administrators, elementary school to higher education, special education to AP Calculus, and fine arts to ELL. In a roundabout way, I’m finally entering the family business. As a former gifted student, I know the impact gifted programming had on my personal and professional trajectory. In just my first few weeks here, I’m learning so much about who I was as a gifted student and how some of those helpful and unhelpful traits have carried into my adult life.

As Director of Member Services & Engagement, my role is ensuring NAGC membership is a valuable experience. We’re conducting a member needs assessment in May–I encourage everyone to participate and share your unique perspective. I am also eager to learn the personal experiences of our members, so please reach out! You can reach me at mroloff@nagc.org or 202-621-5762.