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The Winding Path to Purpose: Dr. Maggie Marcus on Career Pivots, Cultural Bridge-Building, and Finding Your Thread

What do you do when you realize you don't want to be "a cog in a very big machine"? For Dr. Maggie Marcus, the answer was a career pivot that led from the CIA to the classroom to leading a family foundation—all while raising bilingual children and teaching the next generation of educators.

Her journey proves that seemingly "winding" career paths often have invisible threads connecting every experience, creating unique expertise that serves communities in powerful ways.

About Our Guest

Dr. Margaret "Maggie" Marcus is the Executive Director of the Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation, a private foundation that focuses on education initiatives of multilingual learners, but also supports organizations in women's health, immigration, and the arts.

Maggie began her teaching career in Puerto Rico, where she taught ninth grade Title I Spanish, then Elementary English. After several transitions, she went back to education as a bilingual teacher for DC Public Schools. She earned her doctorate in Applied Linguistics and Language Education in 2020, and has been in her current role since 2022.

In addition to this role, she teaches in the College of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is a fellow at The Century Foundation.

The Intersectional Advantage

Maggie brings a unique perspective shaped by multiple intersections:

  • White female with deep connections to Latin culture through extensive travel and living experiences
  • Monolingual English speaker who developed fluency in Spanish and deep appreciation for bilingual education
  • Parent raising bilingual children in a predominantly English-speaking country
  • Educator and philanthropist who understands both classroom realities and funding challenges
  • Cultural bridge-builder who leverages privilege and position to support multilingual learners

As she puts it: "I have this intersectionality between being a person of an English-speaking background, but really connecting to a lot of Latin culture."

The Winding Path That Led to Purpose

From Teaching to Intelligence: After teaching in Puerto Rico, Maggie worked briefly in medical sales before earning her Master's in International Relations at Tufts Fletcher School. The CIA recruited her as an economic analyst, where her bilingual skills and economic background proved invaluable.

Back to the Classroom: Frustrated with bureaucracy, she returned to teaching as a second-grade bilingual educator in DC Public Schools, then became a literacy coach for Spanish-speaking teachers.

Academic Credentials: While working and raising young children, she pursued her doctorate to gain expertise and credibility in bilingual education—a field she was passionate about but hadn't entered through traditional pathways.

Philanthropic Leadership: Four years ago, she stepped into leading her family's foundation, navigating both family dynamics and professional responsibilities while shaping educational initiatives.

Essential Career Insights

Take International Risks Early: "Now is the time to live somewhere else. College is a safe time to be in another place when you don't have the same life commitments you might have as you get older."

Build Relationships Over Transactions: Her brief medical sales experience taught her that "we're always selling something, but the relationships piece is key"—a lesson she applies across education and philanthropy.

Seek Mentors and Models: "Navigate and think through who's in your life that you admire or that you might want to replicate. Make those connections—formal and informal mentors help you navigate decisions."

Embrace the Winding Path: What seemed like career pivots actually created unique expertise. Her economics background, international experience, and bilingual skills converged to make her uniquely qualified for her current roles.

Get Credentials When Needed: "Having had such a winding career path, I really wanted the credential to give me expertise in the field because I didn't go through traditional teacher, school admin, coach, leader paths."

Balancing Multiple Professional Hats

Currently wearing three professional hats—foundation executive, university professor, and think tank fellow—Maggie demonstrates how diverse roles can complement each other when they're aligned with your values and expertise.

Her foundation work focuses on multilingual learners, her teaching keeps her connected to classroom realities, and her research informs policy discussions—creating a powerful cycle of impact.

Connect with Dr. Margaret Marcus

Website: Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation 
LinkedIn: Margaret Marcus, Ph.D.
Foundation Focus: Education initiatives for multilingual learners, women's health, immigration, and the arts
Collaboration Interest: Looking to collaborate with other funders in the bilingual education space

About the Host

Dr. Lola Adeyemo is the CEO of EQI Mindset and founder of the nonprofit Immigrants Incorporate Inc. She works with organizations to build inclusive workplaces and amplifies the voices of leaders and immigrants in the corporate space.

Want to Get Involved?

Are you an HR, Culture, or DEI Leader? Email [email protected] to Get Your Workplace Community Employee Resource Groups (ERGs / BRGs) Launched, Leveraged, and Thriving!

Essential listening for professionals navigating career pivots, educators and philanthropists, bilingual professionals, and anyone seeking to turn a "winding path" into purposeful impact.