Photo by Adam Auel

On October 19, 2021, Margaret Hartman Nichols of Maine became the 23rd Regent of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Mrs. Nichols succeeds Sarah Miller Coulson of Pennsylvania, who led Mount Vernon through a historic period that included the COVID-19 pandemic, the Save the View campaign, a U.S. presidential state visit, and the selection of Douglas Bradburn as Mount Vernon’s president and CEO.

“I am truly honored to accept the position of Regent and am humbled to follow in the footsteps of the intrepid women who served before me. The MVLA is well known for its leadership, stewardship, and, just as importantly, its tenacity—strengths that allow it to meet challenges with purpose while informing and inspiring future generations through its mission to preserve and protect Mount Vernon and to educate the world about George Washington’s legacy.”

Under the leadership of Nichols, the MVLA will undertake several ambitious projects. Key among them is Strengthening Our Foundation: The Campaign for Mount Vernon, which aims to raise $150 million to help fulfill the Association’s mission as effectively for the future as it has for more than 160 years.

“Mount Vernon is the cornerstone of our national story, a north star for all Americans,” said Nichols. “This campaign speaks to that story through its message of commitment, endurance, and possibility: the commitment to ensure the advancement of our preservation and education mission at the highest standards, the endurance to adhere to sound fiscal stewardship by growing our endowment, and the spark of possibility that a visit to Mount Vernon can bring to all who come far into the future.”

Born in Ohio and raised in New England, Nichols earned her degree in piano and flute at the Crouse College of Music at Syracuse University. She had a successful career in banking, specializing in industrial manufacturing and the emerging cable communications industry.

Her board service over the past 30 years in the state of Maine is extensive. She has been recognized for her contributions in education and preservation throughout the state and New England. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the New England Conservatory in Boston.

Nichols is the second Regent to hail from the state of Maine. Mrs. James Gore King Richards, the Association’s fifth Regent, assumed the reins in 1927.