Meet a Mom: Reading Between the Lines with Maggie Wehmer, Reading Power, Inc.

Introducing to the Chicago North Shore Moms community, Lake Forest mom of two wonderful children, former digital marketing director, painter, and current board member for the Lake Bluff-based nonprofit, Reading Power, Maggie Wehmer!

When a good friend, and longtime board member introduced Reading Power to Maggie, curiosity took hold. She reflects, “As a lifelong lover of reading, and a mom of two kids right in the thick of the ‘learn-to-read process’, I was immediately intrigued.” Shortly thereafter, a site visit to Reading Power showed her firsthand the immense impact that the reading tutors were having on their students via individualized attention and lesson plans.

Get to know more about Maggie, how she arrived at the tough decision to step away from her high-powered corporate career to focus on her children, and the important role she now plays with Reading Power, including getting the word out about the upcoming (and nearly sold out!) Play for Literacy pickleball event happening on September 8, 2025! Welcome, Maggie!

 

 

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Hi Maggie. Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?

Hi there! My name is Maggie Wehmer and I grew up on the East Coast, mainly Connecticut and Maryland. After attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I moved to Washington, DC where I worked for ten years before meeting my husband, Eddie. After we got married, we moved back to his hometown, Lake Forest.

 

Tell us about your children and gush away!

I have two wonderful children. My son is almost nine years old and about to start third grade. He is just the smartest kid you’ll meet and endlessly interesting to talk to about absolutely everything. My daughter is almost seven years old and is our little athlete. She’s already mastered soccer and basketball and can’t wait to start lacrosse this fall. They are at the most fun ages and are each other’s best friends. We are in a great phase of life!

 

 

What are one or two fun or interesting things to know about you?

I must do all the New York Times games every morning, especially Spelling Bee where I have to reach the “amazing” level. And I love racquet sports! I play tennis all summer and paddle in the colder months. Like almost everyone else these days, I am an avid Mahjong player and have even started teaching some of my friends.

 

What are your favorite North Shore places, spaces and eats to frequent with family, date night, hang out, etc.?

For date night, you can’t beat Sophia Steak in Lake Forest! Eddie and I sit at one of the booths in the bar. I always have a dirty martini and their steak skewers, but worth noting, don’t sleep on the cheeseburger. We also love Hometown where my kids are obsessed with the giant pretzel (even though I have repeatedly told them it doesn’t count as a meal).

 

What are you able to carve out for yourself that you love?

Once the kids go back to school in August and the house gets quiet, I’ve had the chance to return to my love of painting. I recently started working with acrylics again, painting florals and landscapes (and ended up selling a few works last year)! It’s the best activity to calm my brain and really relax.

On a less sophisticated note, I feel this is a safe space to admit that my husband and I watched Love Island USA every night this summer as soon as we put the kids to bed. I must say: A+ garbage, no notes.

 

 

It’s the best way to tune out for sure – I hear you! Speaking of therapy (haha), what is your mantra that gets you through the tough stuff?

Audentes fortunate iuvat —“Fortune favors the bold.”

I thought this motto sounded pretty cool on my AIM profile back in high school, but it’s also a fantastic way to live with purpose.

 

Your career spans back to digital marketing, overseeing a national team responsible for NBC’s 24/7 social presence, covering its full slate of primetime and late-night programming. Sounds super interesting and demanding – what was that time like?

I joined my agency right as social media was on the precipice of taking off. It was a really creative, exciting time to build a digital marketing strategy from the ground up. But social media (and television!) never sleeps, so it was very much a 24/7 job. I love that I learned something new every day in an ever-evolving online landscape and that I got to do it in such a cool space of entertainment and pop culture.

 

When and why did you leave this career?

After I had my son, I felt the burnout of managing a bi-coastal team with insane hours and travel demands. When it was time to find childcare, I decided I didn’t want to hire a nanny to do the job that I had waited my whole life to achieve – being a mom! Listen, some days can be long, some can be lonely, but there isn’t a second that I don’t regret leaving my job when I did. I’m so grateful that I really got to experience two lives – a fast-paced big job and getting to stay home with my family.

 

That sentiment is going to help a lot of people reading this. Fast forwarding a bit…. Today you’re a board member with Reading Power. What is Reading Power’s mission and how did you get involved in this super important cause?

Reading Power provides high-dosage, one-to-one tutoring to children in our communities who need it most, who are in danger of a life of illiteracy. One of my good friends (and longtime board member), Todd Litzsinger, introduced me to the organization. As a lifetime lover of reading, and a mom of two kids right in the thick of the “learn-to-read process,” I was immediately intrigued. But, I didn’t fall in love with Reading Power until I did a site visit and saw our tutors in action. It’s amazing the impact they have on these students and the relationships they are building with all the individualized attention and lesson plans. From then on, I knew I wanted to do more with Reading Power.

 

 

Tell us about the Play for Literacy pickleball round robin tournament coming up!

On September 8th, Reading Power is hosting its annual Play for Literacy event. This year, it’s at Onwentsia Club and for the first time ever, we will feature pickleball alongside our marquee golf event. I couldn’t be more excited! The pickleball flights begin at both 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM. Since it’s a round robin, no need to sign up with a partner. Simply sign up, join us, and get ready to have so much fun (while also supporting our incredible mission!).

We’re almost sold out (!), so I encourage you to reserve your spot today: https://readingpowerinc.org/golf-pickleball/.

 

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about yourself or Reading Power?

If you’re looking for a way to get involved in our community, I highly encourage you check out Reading Power. Whether you’re interested in joining the board, tutoring, or supporting from afar, we are at an incredibly exciting point in our history and are so excited by what our future holds.

 

 

And the contact details for Reading Power?

To learn more about Reading Power, please visit https://readingpowerinc.org/. To purchase tickets to Play for Literacy, please visit https://readingpowerinc.org/golf-pickleball/.

DONATE – Support Reading Power by making a contribution on our website at readingpowerinc.org/donate

VOLUNTEER – Tutor one child. Change two lives. Learn more about becoming a volunteer tutor at readingpowerinc.org/tutor

VISIT READING POWER IN ACTION – Schedule a private program tour or attend one of our quarterly events to learn more about our organization, our initiatives, and how we’re positively impacting our students’ literacy learning

FOLLOW US – Sign up for our monthly newsletter at readingpowerinc.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For more ways to get involved, email us at [email protected] or call at 224-436-8060.

 

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