Since joining Working Wardrobes in December 2023, Megan Chelling has been helping clients do far more than prepare for a job — she helps them believe a future is possible.
As a Career Navigator, Megan works primarily with young adults ages 16–24, guiding them through paid work experience opportunities, career workshops, professional wardrobing, and certification training support. She also partners with probation to facilitate workshops in local jails, supporting justice-impacted individuals as they prepare to reenter the workforce.
But if you ask Megan what her job really is, she’ll tell you it starts with relationships.
Her favorite moments come from walking alongside clients through milestones — big and small. One client celebrated earning a driver’s license after years of barriers and marked a decade of sobriety. Another landed her very first office job at 19. A former participant reached out months later to share she had been promoted to manager.
These wins matter, “There is so much belonging, kinship, and respect that grows when you build trust and accompany someone on their employment journey” Megan says.
For Megan, success isn’t measured only in resumes or interviews — it’s when clients feel safe enough to open up. She recalls one client telling her she could tell Megan cared “beyond clocking in and clocking out.” Another client, incarcerated for nearly two decades, shared that her encouragement helped him start therapy for the first time.
That human connection is exactly why the mission resonates so deeply with her. Megan often thinks about Margaret Mead’s belief that a small group of committed people can change the world — and she sees that happening every day in the coaching rooms, classrooms, and workshops at Working Wardrobes.
Outside of work, Megan’s creativity continues. She previously ran an expressive arts program where participants explored writing, music, art, and gardening. Today she dances with a Polynesian dance studio, plays beach volleyball, and creates ceramics — activities that mirror the same philosophy she brings to clients: growth happens when people have space to express who they are.
Through empathy, encouragement, and unwavering support, Megan helps clients move from uncertainty to confidence — one conversation, one milestone, and one opportunity at a time.