Her Story
About Madeline
Madeline Mathers is a professional in the facilities planning, design, and construction industry- supporting the coordination and administration of both large-scale capital and donor funded projects.
She completed two undergraduate bachelor’s degrees in four years, becoming the first in her family to achieve this milestone.
Her background includes diverse experiences such as working as a Park Ranger for multiple state agencies. She has also worked for federal organizations, including the U.S. Forest Service as a Forest Protection Officer. She has extensive backcountry construction experience, including facilities/site maintenance, hazard identification and assessment, and designing and constructing recreational sites in accordance with ADA standards. She has also volunteered her construction experience to nonprofit organizations, national, state, and municipal parks.
In her final semester of undergrad, she successfully graduated a NYS Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations (BEFO) Course & EMT academy while completing her Senior Thesis, investigating the environmental impact of Emergency Response and Paramilitary organizations through first-hand experiential immersion. During her BEFO course she successfully obtained her Ice/Cold Water Rescue Technician certification through NYS’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and several FEMA certifications.
She shortly thereafter completed her Wildland Firefighter Type 2 training, in accordance with National Wildlife Coordinating Group (NWCG) requirements fulfilling her S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, S-130 Firefighting Training, and several Incident Command System (ICS) courses including ICS-100 Introduction to the Incident Command System, & IS-700 Introduction to the National Incident Command System. She also successfully completed the “Pack Test”, a strenuous physical ability test designed to simulate the physical demands of working on a wildland fire.
She has served as an EMT, and maintained licensure for the last 7 years. In her spare time she serves as a Lab Instructor at two local colleges, providing Reality Based Training (RBT) scenarios and guidance for new EMT Students.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic she served as a Public Safety Officer at a private college, where she managed a variety of Environmental Health & Safety matters including emergency station activations, fire alarm panel responses and crisis intervention. She also stepped into a Training Officer role, helping develop and implement new safety protocols for staff while taking ownership of PPE management, including compliance and emergency station audits.
She has been fortunate enough to have been able to integrate her passion for the outdoors, and dedication to occupational health, safety, and compliance into a career of her own.
Mathers has earned several industry standard certifications through independent study, including OSHA 10-hour Construction Outreach Training Program, Construction General Permit Inspector (CGP) through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and completed both the 6th & 7th Edition of Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge Course- studying the best practices and industry standards of project management. She also completed numerous FEMA/National Disaster & Emergency Management courses including IS-1013: Cost Estimating, IS-1011: Roads & Culverts, and IS-1023: Electrical Systems Considerations. She has plans to pursue her OSHA 30-hour and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPP) certifications for her personal career development goals.
She emphasizes self-advocacy, especially for women entering male-dominated fields, and values integrity, transparency and accountability. Mathers attributes her success to persistence and determination, and advises others to seek opportunities, and remain open to new experiences and connections.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Madeline
01What do you attribute your success to?
When someone tells me “no”, I use that as fuel for my fire to get a "yes". I am persistent and determined. I take the criticism and use that to get where I want to be. Nothing is handed to you in life. I stay the course and strive for more always.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
You are your own best advocate. Especially as a woman stepping into male-dominated positions, if you don't advocate or ask, the answer will most always be “no”. Don't sell yourself short with your experience. You are more valuable than you give yourself credit.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Always look for opportunities. Take any opportunity you can get, be a sponge, listen to everything. It's okay to try something and find out it's not for you. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there out of fear of “what might happen”. The worst you'll hear is "no". And remember, making mistakes means you are learning!
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
From an applicant’s perspective, one challenge in construction and emergency response disciplines alike is getting your foot in the door in what’s still a very male-dominated industry. There can be a perception that construction is more of a “guy’s job,” even though women are just as capable and qualified. That can sometimes make you feel like you have to prove yourself more or deal with imposter syndrome. At the same time, I think there’s a real opportunity to change those perceptions and see more women represented in the industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Two values that are important to me, both in my work and in life, are honesty and transparency.
I believe in being upfront from the beginning, whether that means admitting when you don’t know the answer, acknowledging when you’re wrong, or being clear about where you stand.
In work, especially on large-scale projects involving multiple stakeholders and money that isn’t yours, transparency builds trust and keeps everyone informed. I think the same applies to everyday life—being honest, communicating clearly, and taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way.
And if you can’t do that, just be kind- because kindness costs you nothing.
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