Meet Megan Miley: Girls on the Run Vermont Board Member, Parent, and 2026 First-Time Heart & Sole Coach

When Girls on the Run first crossed Megan Miley’s path, it was simply a name and a mission she admired from afar. She met Rachel, our superstar Executive Director, at a networking function in 2023 and remembers thinking she had a general sense of the GOTR mission. "All I really knew was that GOTR supported girl empowerment across the U.S.,” Megan recalls. She did not yet understand the heart of the program, the weekly lessons, the intentional curriculum, and the way each practice builds toward something much bigger than a 5K finish line.

In 2024 Megan ensured that Casella, where she worked in sales, would become a sponsor of the GOTRVT 5K.  “I wanted us to sponsor because I was excited to help young girls in our state to become outstanding women of the future.”  For the 2024 5K, Casella would become a Cheer sponsor. That fall, they expanded their support and also became Gold sponsors for our annual fundraiser, the Sneaker Soireé.

Back then, Megan did not yet understand the heart of our programs, the weekly lessons, the intentional curriculum, and the way each practice builds toward something much bigger than a 5K finish line.

That all changed when Megan’s daughter, Maple, laced up her sneakers and joined the Girls on the Run program at Brookside Elementary in 2024. This gave Megan a chance to experience the program firsthand. Instantly, GOTR became more than just a mission statement. The program came alive in the stories Maple brought home about confidence, kindness, and teamwork, and when Megan participated as a running buddy at our Northern VT celebratory 5K.

                                                            Maple and Megan Miley at the Essex 5K at the Champlain Valley Expo, May 2024

Megan also saw firsthand the dedication of Sara Sorenson and her Brookside GOTRVT coaching team. “Don’t even get me started about how much I love these ladies,” she says. The coaches’ support went far beyond practice and race day. Even after the 5K, they showed up at the elementary school graduation to cheer on the girls as they moved on to middle school. 

“It wasn’t just about cheering the girls on during the season,” Megan states. “It was about cheering them on all year.”

Maple with a fellow GOTRVT participant and the amazing Brookside Coaches before the 5K

She also noticed something else that deeply resonated with her as a parent. GOTRVT created space for girls who did not necessarily see themselves in traditional activities. “It was nice to see girls who were not part of sports, music, or dance teams come to Girls on the Run and truly belong,” she reflects. There is a place for everyone at Girls on the Run. Every girl has a voice. 

Rachel, Executive Director of GOTRVT, with Megan and Maple at our February 2026 Coach Training in South Burlington

Now, Megan’s involvement has evolved far beyond sponsor and parent. She joined the Girls on the Run Vermont Board of Directors in early 2025 and is currently stepping into a new role this season as a first-time coach at Crossett Brook Middle School. Megan will be guiding the participants through lessons similar to those that resonated with her daughter and sparked conversations at home. This year they will participate in GOTR’s middle school program, Heart & Sole.

Building on that commitment, this year’s sponsorship decision was effortless; Casella would support Girls on the Run VT again, thanks to Megan’s advocacy. In 2023 Casella was sponsoring our Manchester 5K, and since then, Casella’s footprint has expanded over the years as she has built on their support statewide. It was a natural partnership, division by division and community by community.

Megan has run the 5K twice with Maple and her team and she is excited to run it again in 2026, this time as a coach. For everyone who takes part, the event is a celebration, and a visible culmination of weeks of growth, teamwork, and joyful movement. 

“These girls need Girls on the Run,” Megan says. “I fully support Girls on the Run's mission and see firsthand how it impacts our youth.”

What started as appreciation from afar has become a full-circle journey: running, cheering, and guiding the next generation, one practice at a time. For Megan, Girls on the Run isn’t just a program, it’s a movement she’s proud to be part of.