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Margo Long
President & CEO
YESS Youth Empowerment and Support Services, Edmonton
“Roy Group’s relationship with Margo spans across multiple professional incarnations, starting back during her years with Incite Strategy through to her leadership of Youth Empowerment and Support Services. She has been a champion of intentional leadership throughout, dedicated to her own practice (mastery!), but perhaps more important, unwavering in her commitment to supporting others to grow in their practice (leadership!). And if you’ve ever met Margo, there’s no denying that she is an individual of deep character.”
Iain Duncan,
Roy Group Practice Lead
It’s uncommon to find a leader who can shape a culture of leadership both inside and outside their organization. But Margo Long, the outgoing President & CEO of Edmonton Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS) is an uncommon character. Margo brings together people, teams and entire organizations to refocus on what matters most in the charity sector’s quest to support youth: the youth themselves.
When she first took the helm of YESS in 2017, Margo drew on her vision, passion and commitment to continuous improvement to redirect an organization with a 35-year history that was on the brink of collapse, bringing it back to its roots and core mission of caring for the wellbeing of others. Her accomplishments since then include rebuilding strained relationships across Edmonton’s network of youth service providers; equipping her team to weave and strengthen that network in perpetuity; and steering YESS to surpass its five-year strategic targets in a mere three, despite a global pandemic.
Self-reflective, gifted with strategic insight and unafraid to speak vulnerably about her own struggles on the path of leadership, Margo embodies the humility, discipline and rigour of practice we most admire in leaders.
Margo’s ongoing journey into leadership mastery is inclusive of everyone around her.
Margo Long accepts the MacGregor Cup from Roy Group’s Iain Duncan at a surprise presentation featuring YESS team members and some of her biggest fans.
Regardless of high times, low times, or any times in between, Margo relentlessly pushes the practice of leadership, from feedback sessions and monthly supervisions, to coaching for all sorts of difficult and positive conversations. Through it all, Margo grounds and gives life to the basic principles of what makes a good leader: the relentless practice of prepare ” implement ” evaluate ” evolve…and doing it again and again.
With collaboration as her modus operandi, Margo has instilled an intentional, culture-wide focus on developing individuals to reach and exceed their own potentials. Her YESS team regularly engages in the masterful practices of self-reflection, evaluation and continuous improvement. Amid the constant rush of pressing social need, she has carved out a space for the team to practice and grow in an environment that’s safe, encouraging and inspiring.
A mentor to many, Margo shows the courage to lead with vulnerability, unafraid to be fully herself in any given moment. Able to captivate a room through her presence and energy alone, she inspires people at all levels to be more engaged in the practice of owning their own work, so they have the capacity to take right action and make their best decisions in the highest service of the people and community they serve.
Under the influence of Margo’s commitment to leadership mastery, YESS sets a powerful precedent for the kind of culture shift that’s possible with discipline, practice, and an unswerving faith in the power and light inside others. Margo’s influence and impact will be a legacy that serves YESS well into the future.
We’re honoured to award the 2024 MacGregor Cup to Margo Long.