ABOUT MADALENA
Madalena DeAndrea is a resiliency advocate, active shooting survivor, national keynote speaker, and Director of School Safety who is passionate about empowering individuals and communities with the mindsets and tools needed to build resiliency even in the face of life’s uncertainties.
Raised in Colorado, Madalena developed an early understanding of crisis leadership and preparedness through her father, retired Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea, whose historic law enforcement career included serving in a leadership role in three school shootings that changed the fabric of American society and police response to active shootings around the world.
Madalena earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Strategy from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2018, where she served as Student Body President representing more than 30,000 students. In that role, she led a 500-person organization, managed a $24 million budget, and represented the student body on both local and national stages.
Shortly after graduation, Madalena moved to Los Angeles to work for a nonprofit organization. In November of 2018, while out dancing at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, her life changed forever when a gunman opened fire inside the venue. Drawing on the skillsets and mindsets instilled in her from a young age, she found refuge in an attic above the bar, where she stayed for the remainder of the tragedy as 12 people, including responding Police Officer Sgt. Ron Helus, were killed.
Determined not to let evil win, Madalena chose to turn her experience into purpose. She returned home to Colorado and joined the Department of School Safety at Jeffco Public Schools - the same district she grew up in. Over the next four years, she served as an Emergency Management Specialist, followed by three years as Senior Manager of Strategic Projects, Recovery, & Resiliency, where she led proactive safety initiatives and strategic innovation. Today, she is proud to serve as Director of School Safety, continuing her commitment to protecting and supporting students, staff, and schools.
Alongside her full-time work in school safety, Madalena travels the country sharing her story and her message of post-traumatic growth with law enforcement agencies, school districts, businesses, and community organizations. Her message challenges individuals and communities alike to prepare intentionally, lead compassionately, and believe in the possibility of growth even after tragedy and hardship. At the center of her work is one core belief: when the light shines in the darkness, the darkness can not overcome it.