Margaret Nicklas

Margaret Nicklas is a freelance journalist, former teacher and government performance auditor. She wrote extensively for The Austin Chronicle during COVID-19. Her work has been published by KUT.org/Texas Standard, the Austin American-Statesman, The Texas Tribune and other outlets. She also worked as a writer and project manager for the Texas Network of Youth Services and was a legislative analyst for the Texas legislature. Previously, she taught developmental writing at Austin Community College and led a non-profit board. During her auditing years, she wore many hats, including assistant city auditor for the City of Austin and federal coordinator for the Texas State Auditor’s Office. She joined the Center for Ethical Leadership in Media as the outreach program coordinator in 2025. She holds two graduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin — in public affairs and journalism — and a bachelor’s in linguistics from Georgetown University in Washington D.C.