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Whether serving on the altar guild, attending a special church event, or sharing conversation over coffee, Megan Moran brings an authenticity that makes others feel at ease.

Megan was born in Akron, Ohio but her family only lived there a short time before moving back home to the South. She has family ties to Thibodaux and Arnaudville and she moved to the Baton Rouge area when she was in first grade, so she considers South Louisiana home. Growing up off O'Neal Lane, she remembers when it was still a quiet, tree-lined country road. She graduated from St. Joseph's Academy and LSU.

Megan currently lives in Denham Springs, where she has made her home for the past 26 years. While her three beloved dogs have crossed the rainbow bridge, her house is far from quiet. Family and friends regularly gather there for meals, game nights, celebrations, and the occasional "spend-over." Hospitality comes naturally to Megan, who loves creating spaces where people feel welcome and connected.

For the past 26 years, Megan has shared her life with Cobie Chauvin, whom she met through work. The couple has been together for more than two decades and celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary this year. Cobie serves as a Continuous Quality Improvement Services Program Manager for Louisiana's Office of Juvenile Justice. Together, they enjoy scenic road trips, weekend getaways, cooking and mixology classes, and spending time with their eight grown nieces and nephews and an ever-expanding collection of great-nieces and great-nephews. Self-described foodies, they especially enjoy gathering around a table with close friends for long meals and meaningful conversation.

Professionally, Megan has spent more than 30 years working in healthcare, serving in private, public, and nonprofit organizations. Following the 2016 flood and the state hospital privatization changes that affected many healthcare workers, she pivoted into Revenue Cycle and Finance Data Analytics at FMOL Health. Today, she says she genuinely enjoys her work and feels grateful to be part of an organization whose mission aligns with her values.

Megan's faith journey began in the Roman Catholic Church, and while she has worshiped alongside friends from many different traditions, she finds herself most grounded in the rhythms of the Mass and the Eucharist.

Her path to St. Margaret's has a familiar name attached to it: Father Tommy. Back in 2005, Megan and Cobie visited St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge. As they were leaving after the service, Father Tommy literally came running across the parking lot to welcome them. That personal invitation and sense of community made a lasting impression, and they soon became active members there.

Years later, during the uncertainty and isolation of the pandemic, Megan found herself searching online for worship services she could watch from home. To her delight, she discovered that Father Tommy was serving another vibrant congregation. She and Cobie began watching St. Margaret's online in 2020 and started in person once services resumed. It didn't take long for the church to feel like home.

What Megan loves most about St. Margaret's is its genuine spirit of welcome, ”St. Margaret's truly embodies the spirit of community that welcomes everyone to the table," she says. "It becomes more than a weekly obligation. It fosters connection, learning, and spiritual growth."

For Megan, the church offers something increasingly rare: a place where people can simply be themselves. There is no pretense, only authentic relationships, kindness, and a shared commitment to growing in faith together.

A member of the altar guild, she also appreciates the many opportunities available to become involved in parish life. Whether it's a healing Mass, concert, retreat, bingo night, or another gathering, she values the church's active and engaged community.

Outside of church and work, Megan loves learning new creative skills. Pottery, quilling, sewing, painting—if it involves making something with her hands, she's eager to try it. She also enjoys tending plants on her patio, reading, solving word puzzles, playing Mah Jong, and savoring a good cup of coffee.

These days, she and Cobie also spend time helping care for their aging parents who live nearby, a responsibility they embrace with love and gratitude.

Asked how she would like to be remembered some day, Megan's answer is simple and heartfelt, ”I would want those who remembered me to smile when they thought of me."

If you don’t already know Megan, ask about her latest creative project, or for a tip on caring for patio plants, and foster a new connection Megan says St. Margaret’s is so good at creating.