Candidate for
State Representative; District 78; Democratic Party

MARGO MCNEIL BIOGRAPHY

Margo McNeil graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Fine Arts(BFA) in Art Education and a Masters in Art Education. Margo began her teaching career in a suburban Cincinnati Middle School and taught art there for five years. She and her husband, Jim, then moved back to Missouri where they began a family.

In Missouri Margo worked as a free lance artist and a community activist. She started teaching in the Ferguson Florissant School District 20 plus years ago and continues there today. Throughout the years, Margo's students have received numerous awards in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Pictures of the Music contest and recognition in other school district events. Additionally, under her direction, students created school-wide ceramic murals, with the most recent completed in April, 2008, at Parker Road Elementary.

Margo successfully ran for the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees in 2006. As a Trustee, Margo is responsible for approving the approximately $140 million budget and collaborating on the strategic plan for the college. During her time on the Board of Trustees, a new chancellor was hired, a new campus at Wildwood opened, and the college received its national reaccreditation from theNorth Central Association.

Margo has been involved in our community's civic activities for over 20 years. An active Missouri NEA member, she is a long time member of the Legislative Committee and was the Government Relations (GR) Chair for 3 North County school districts the past eleven years. In 2002, Margo was the Ferguson Florissant coordinator for the "Kids First" Rally in Jefferson City and recruited 200 people from her school district to lobby for increased public education funding. As the St. Louis Coordinator of the Women's Vote Project in 1984, she led efforts to register over 8000 new voters. Additionally, Margo has been an active member of NOW and was a founding member of Missouri Women's Network.

A resident of North County for 31 years, Margo is originally from Hannibal, Missouri. Margo has been married for 34 years to Jim McNeil, who worked as an electrical engineer with McDonnell Douglas and is currently an adjunct professor. Margo and Jim raised three children + Nathan, Stuart, and Megan; all have successful professions that contribute to society and their community. Margo is an active member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Florissant and has served the church in many capacities over the past 29 years.

Margo is a strong supporter of public education and says she will work to make positive improvements to our education system and to address educationally related areas like healthcare and job development. She will also continue the progressive leadership of Representative Clint Zweifel and fight for working families and women's rights.