Margo Walsh
Founder, Owner
Press
- MaineBiz – Business Leaders
- DownEast – Saints & Sinners
- Portland Press Herald – Humanitarian of the Year
- Portland Press Herald – Profile of Margo Walsh
- Forbes – Innovative Staffing Company
- The New York Times – A Temp Agency That Gives Ex-Inmates a Job, and a Ride to Work
- Huffpost – Former Inmates Recovering From Addiction Get New Start At Temp Agency
Speaking Engagements
- TEDx – Portsmouth, NH
- The American Corrections Association Conference – Orlando, FL
- Phillips Exeter Academy – Exeter, NH
- GSG Global Impact Summit – Malaga, Spain
- Massachusetts General Hospital Recovery Research Institute – Harvard University
- National Association of Women in Construction Northeast Region Fall Conference
- The University of New Hampshire School of Sustainability
- Yale School of Management
- B Corp Champions Retreat – Philadelphia, PA
“Typically social services exist by dividing people into levels of ‘likely to succeed’, which is inherently separating people from each other. Hopefully there will be a day when people don’t see space between themselves and another person. We are all in this together, no exceptions.”
“If you’re going to get out of jail and you’re not going to go into a program of recovery immediately, you will fail. People in that early stage of re-entry are highly vulnerable and could be the most easily exploited. We’re serious about helping those who are willing to help themselves.”
About Margo
Inspired by her own recovery and volunteer work at the Cumberland County Jail, Margo Walsh founded MaineWorks in 2011 to provide employment opportunities for individuals reentering society from incarceration and recovering from Substance Use Disorder. Using a staffing agency model, MaineWorks provides construction labor to New England’s premiere industrial construction companies. MaineWorks, the first B Corp-certified company in Maine, now operates in three New England states, with plans for further expansion.
In response to employment barriers that MaineWorks’ employees face, Margo and her sister co-founded United Recovery Fund (URF), a 501c3 nonprofit, in 2017. URF provides their clients with transportation to and from work, rent assistance, work attire, license reinstatement, court fees, and healthcare.
In 2024, Cecil’s Place Sober Living opened two houses in Portland, Maine to provide safe, supportive housing to men in early recovery from Substance Use Disorder and reentry from jail and prison. Together, MaineWorks, United Recovery Fund and Cecil’s Place Sober Living provide a good job, financial support, and stable housing.
A Cumberland, Maine native, Margo graduated from Waynflete School and earned a BA in Psychology from Wheaton College. She began her career in New York at Goldman Sachs, leading college and MBA recruiting within the Investment Banking Division, and later worked at the consulting firm Hewitt. In 2010, inspired by her own recovery and volunteer work at Cumberland County Jail, Margo conceived the idea for a felon-focused employment company.
Awards
- CHIME Planetary Chaplain Award
- Forsley Award for Community Engagement
- Guest of Senator Angus King State of the Union Address for Impactful Employment
- Innovative Small Business Success Award
- Maine Children’s Alliance Community Impact Award
- Maine Health Heart of Gold Award
- Maine Health Public Health Business Champion Award
- MaineBiz Entrepreneur of the Year
- MaineBiz Women to Watch
- SCORE Small Business Person of the Year
- SPARK Award for Transformational Growth Ideas
- Spurwink Humanitarian of the Year
- State of Maine Congressional Record for Employment of Veterans
- U.S. Small Business Administration Outstanding Job Creator Award
- United States Senate Recognition for job creator
- Wellspring Mental Health Building Bridges Award
