Meet the Staff: Madeline MacDonald
Today, we're spotlighting one of the newest members of the Dressember team: our Communications Manager, Madeline MacDonald! If you've been in the Dressember loop longer than a few months, you've probably noticed we've upped our communications game; Madeline is to thank for that! Madeline is the brain behind the Dressember blog, the captain that steers our social media ship(s), and our lead email strategist --she wears many hats around here! Without further ado, meet Madeline!
Where are you from and what is your favorite thing about your hometown?
I was born and raised in a suburb outside of Seattle, Washington. No matter where I go, I’ll always have a deep love for the Pacific Northwest. There aren’t many places in the world where mountains, oceans, lakes, and desert all come together in one state. I attribute so much of my adventurous spirit to growing up there.
What is your role at Dressember?
I am the Communications Manager at Dressember. I handle communication on the blog, website, emails and social media. The best part of my job is working with the incredible Editorial Interns -- this powerhouse team produces content weekly to share, educate and spotlight the Dressember community. They’re passionate self-starters and I’m honored to get to work with them (psst...we’re hiring new interns for the Spring. You can apply here)
How did you hear about Dressember?
Past coworkers of mine had participated in the past, but it wasn't until last year that I really understood what Dressember was. At the beginning of 2017, I was on a real podcast kick. Blythe was on one of my favorite podcasts, “Sounds Good with Branden Harvey”. Her story found me at a time where I, too, felt stifled about how I could make a difference in the world. I saw that they were hiring at the exact moment that I was beginning my job search in Los Angeles, and knew that I had to apply.
What is the craziest thing you have done in a dress?
I took a trip to Uganda a few years ago to visit some friends, and packed mostly dresses, unaware that I would be riding on motorbikes, hiking up waterfalls and sprinting with a 50 lb backpack (mistake #1) to catch buses. Needless to say, it was the perfect immersion to #youcandoanythinginadress.
What is your favorite 2017 Dressember dress & why?
The Brit. It’s honestly the most versatile dress in my closet. I have been known to wear it for any and every occasion -- girls nights out and cozy nights in. Plus, it has pockets. From now on, any dress without pockets is dead to me.
Tell us about a woman who inspires you:
There are honestly a list of twenty names that come to my mind. I've been blessed to be surrounded by strong, supportive females my whole life. My inspiration, though, has always been my grandma. She’s known to the homeless community in Seattle as St. Nancy for the way she’s lovingly fed them for over 27 years. She's also just the cutest human being -- but don't take my word for it.
Why are you participating in Dressember?
On a trip to Germany a few years ago, I went to the Dachau concentration camp that stands preserved. A dialogue of a young woman entered my ears as the audio track conveyed her story -- she lived down the street from the concentration camp and would close her blinds at night to avoid catching glimpses of the terror going on right next door. In the last few years, I've had an opportunity to tour through memorials from some of the worst atrocities in the world -- The Killing Fields in Cambodia, the burials from the Rwandan genocide, and the slave harbor for the Arab slave trade. I would always leave these memorials wondering if I would be like that women in Dachau. Would I close the blinds and continue living in the comfort of my bubble, or would I lean into the discomfort and do something about it? For the longest time, I have felt a deep longing to take out the earpiece and speak out against the rhetoric that other people aren’t our responsibility. Now, with Dressember, I have the opportunity to bring these situations to the forefront and engage in, what I believe to be, one of the most important conversations of our time. It's truly a privilege and I can't wait to see what we will collectively accomplish together this year.
XO
