Mary A. Simmons never imagined that her love of books as a little girl in Jacksonville, North Carolina, would one day shape the way she leads in Rockford, IL. What began as a simple escape into stories—where she found friends, courage, and new worlds—has carried her through college, into a career in engineering, and now onto the board of United Way of Rock River Valley.
Books as a Launchpad
Growing up in a small town not far from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Mary’s world could have felt limited. But books changed that. “In books, I discovered different characters, personalities, and places,” she recalls. Reading became both her window to possibility and her shield against challenges, especially the painful experience of being bullied. “Within those books, I had friends,” she says. Those stories not only gave her comfort but also sparked her imagination and confidence to dream bigger.
That spark carried her to North Carolina A&T State University, where she pursued a degree in electrical engineering. It wasn’t an easy path—Mary had to navigate much of it on her own—but she never let fear stop her. “My proudest accomplishment is earning my electrical engineering degree,” she says. With degree in hand, Mary built a successful career in engineering that eventually led her to Rockford, where she found both opportunity and community.
Finding United Way Board Membership
Even as her career grew, Mary never forgot the role literacy played in her life. She knew reading was more than just a skill; it was the foundation for everything that followed. “Literacy is a springboard for children to pursue their college aspirations,” she says. That belief drives her work with United Way, where she now helps ensure that resources are distributed equitably and that local nonprofits have the support they need to reach families across Winnebago County.
For Mary, serving on the United Way board isn’t simply about leadership titles—it’s about building a stronger, more connected community. “United Way is a hub that can be a resource for other nonprofits and the community,” she explains. By bringing organizations together and aligning them toward shared outcomes, she sees the ripple effect of impact grow wider, touching more lives than any one group could reach alone.
Mary’s journey—from a young girl who found solace in books, to an engineer, to a community leader—shows what’s possible when literacy and leadership intersect. Her story is a reminder that change begins with opportunity, and when communities invest in children’s ability to read, they invest in a brighter future for everyone.