She quit her job to volunteer until her money ran out. She got hired because of her superb dental work. She traveled around the world to places like England and Germany, coordinating interviews across time zones. Most importantly, she gives a voice to those who need one. Needless to say, Megan Chapa has enjoyed an eventful life so far, and it all started at Messiah where she graduated in 2003 with a degree in public relations.
Chapa hopped from job to job, but overall she felt content with her life until Hurricane Katrina hit several years after graduation. She saw a great need and, with her vacation days, decided to help in disaster relief. She says, “I volunteered with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. It is an organization that you can really trust the work that they are doing. I came back to my job and decided I am going to quit my job because I’m going to move down there until the project is done and just volunteer my time”
That’s exactly what Chapa did. She planned to volunteer until her money ran out, but sickness struck and sent her home early. Soon after, she met her husband, an Air Force pilot, and two days after their first date, they decided to get married. After the wedding, they moved to a small town in Oklahoma where she was hired by the newspaper because she had advertising experience and because she “had all of her teeth.” As an experienced professional, that statement did not sit well. “That was my first job as a military spouse, and talk about sucking the wind from your sails,” Chapa says.
She struggled to find fulfilling work with her military family lifestyle, but she finally discovered the perfect fit as a travel agent. She quickly signed with a host travel agency and also began podcasting to help her travel agent friends sell their trips. Podcasting became a large part of her life because “no matter where we moved with the Air Force, it was a hobby that I could take with me that was mine, and it was time that I got to dedicate to something I like to do.”
As time went on, Chapa grew frustrated with podcasting and lost sight of why she had begun, but a friend reminded her: God has not forgotten you. Facing this major dilemma, she asked God for a sign on what to do next. Hours later, an old friend texted her, offering Chapa a position at a startup podcast network where she could name her title and pay. Now the Podcast Network Producer and Creative Director at Travmark Media Podcast Network, Chapa spends her days “having really interesting conversations.”
Though she has faced challenges trying to stand out in the podcasting world, she ranks well in the charts. The numbers, however, aren’t the goal. She found purpose in her podcasting by using her show to amplify the voices of others. She carefully selects her guests so they represent businesses that do good work and deserve recognition. She reflects, “Not only do I get to talk to interesting people, but I can give a voice to someone who needs it.” With this new focus, she no longer feels frustrated in her work.
Overall, she enjoys the stimulating conversations that she has on a one-of-a-kind network and the opportunity to magnify the voices of others. She recognizes how “being kind is an act of charity” and can lead to doors opening. Now back in the U.S., Chapa continues to use her platform for good but says, “I want to give God the credit.”
– April Hooper ’22