Madeline has been on the Seward Co-op Board of Directors since October 2005, and she is currently the board president. She works at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). Before working at IATP, Madeline was an aide to Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, where she focused on housing policy. Prior to Commissioner Dorfman's office, she managed a local homeless shelter for men. Madeline holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Humphrey Institute. She and her husband, Peter, live in the Longfellow neighborhood with their two young children.

For Madeline, being on the board of directors enables her to think strategically about how Seward Co-op will continue to be an important community resource into the future, while also working to advance the cooperative business model.