Women’s Forum Naming Recognizes Margaret Hirsch’s Commitment to Dallas Students
United to Learn is proud to announce the naming of our Women’s Forum in honor of Margaret J. Hirsch, a steadfast advocate for education and a key leader in our mission.
Since United to Learn’s inception, Margaret has taken on many roles, including leading our Board of Directors, Chief Advancement Officer, and U2L Liaison. Her leadership has been crucial in building partnerships, driving fundraising efforts, and shaping our strategic direction. Margaret’s work has directly contributed to our ability to expand our impact across Dallas ISD.
A Legacy of Leadership
Margaret’s involvement with United to Learn began with her role as a board member, where she quickly became a cornerstone of our organization. Her leadership has been instrumental in forging strategic partnerships, such as those between Harry C. Withers Elementary and The Lamplighter School, which have created lasting benefits for both campuses. As a school liaison, Margaret has built strong relationships with campus leaders and facilitated impactful collaborations that continue to support our mission.
In addition to her work as a board member and liaison, Margaret stepped in as Interim Chief Advancement Officer, filling a critical staff role during a pivotal time for our organization. Her guidance helped us meet fundraising targets, connect with new potential investors, and discover innovative ways to support our partner schools. One notable example of her innovative approach was during the 2020 Learning Launch campaign, where she co-created the “Dinner for a Cause” event. This COVID-safe initiative involved delivering dinners directly to supporters’ homes, which not only raised funds but also provided crucial resources like PPE and tools for distance learning, addressing the immediate needs of schools during the pandemic.
Margaret also played a key role in developing a strategic plan created in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) that aimed to confirm the feasibility of expanding United to Learn’s footprint. It set a renewed direction for the organization that drove our first big expansion from 5 Dallas ISD elementary schools to 25. Now that we are working alongside more than 100 campuses, the roadmap still guides our growth across the city, ensuring that we can continue to grow and serve more students.
CEO Abby Williams’ Reflection on Margaret’s Impact
“Margaret’s unceasing dedication to the mission of United to Learn has grown our impact immeasurably since Day 1,” said Abby Williams, United to Learn’s CEO. “Few understand our culture and model better than Margaret, and her knowledge of the philanthropic landscape in our city is unparalleled. But most importantly, her generous and compassionate heart is absolutely infectious. Because of Margaret, we’ve hit fundraising targets, connected with new investors, and established deeper connections with schools like Withers and Lamplighter. We’re eternally grateful for the gifts her grace and brilliance have bestowed upon United to Learn.”
Abby continued, “Margaret’s humility is evident in the way she shares credit and never takes any for herself. She approaches every challenge with kindness and understanding. With deepest gratitude, it gives us great joy to announce the Margaret J. Hirsch Women’s Forum, a tribute to her inspirational leadership.”
Looking Ahead
The Margaret J. Hirsch Women’s Forum will continue Margaret’s legacy by gathering civic-minded women to learn about public education in Dallas and take actionable steps to support students. This forum reflects Margaret’s commitment to education and community, and we are honored to carry forward her example of leadership.
Margaret continues her work with United to Learn as she remains on the board as Immediate Past Chair and serves as a U2L Liaison at Withers Elementary. Her ongoing involvement ensures that her legacy of leadership and commitment to education will continue to guide and inspire our efforts.
About Margaret J. Hirsch
Outside of United to Learn, Margaret J Hirsch is President of The Hirsch Family Foundation and immediate Past Chair for Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Advisory Board. Her passion for addressing systemic issues in educational quality was ignited during her tenure as Executive Director of Government Relations for the National Math and Science Initiative. Prior to her work in education, Margaret practiced law at Hughes & Luce in Dallas after receiving her J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin and her B.A. from Princeton University.
Join Us
We invite all civic-minded women to join us at the next Women’s Forum to learn more about public education in Dallas and how you can make a difference. Together, we can build on Margaret’s legacy and continue to support our schools and communities. To learn more about our next Margaret J. Hirsch Women’s Forum event click here.