Madeleine MacGillivray
She / Her / Hers
Muscogee (Creek) Heritage
Madeleine is a lifelong climate activist, microplastics specialist, sustainable brand consultant, model, and Brooklyn native. She is currently completing a MS in Sustainability Management at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. She holds a BA in Environmental Policy from Barnard, having completed her undergraduate thesis on microplastics pollution at Columbia's renowned Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
Madeleine has been speaking out against water issues since the age of nine, when she founded her first non-profit organization raising awareness about climate change and water drought in Africa and was acknowledged by Bill McKibben's national climate rally. At 16, Madeleine appeared as one of six youth plaintiffs as part of the hugely influential Our Children’s Trust lawsuit, which sued the US government and the EPA and reached the Supreme Court.
As an Ambassador and advisory board member of the 5Gyres Institute, Madeleine specializes in microplastics pollution research and legislation. She is also the Microplastics Policy and Science Fellow at Indigenous-led Seeding Sovereignty. Madeleine calls herself an ‘empathist’ who provokes emotionally-driven conversation in a world increasingly plagued by disconnect.
Madeleine has spoken at countless events globally and continues to use her voice in podcast, article, and social media features. Madeleine passionately communicates complex environmental issues with creativity, compassion, and empathy.
madeleine@seedingsovereignty.org