Madeline McLean, MA, C.C.C.
Madeline McLean, MA, C.C.C., is a seasoned Quality Assurance Specialist with over 13 years of experience in manufacturing and regulatory compliance within FDA-regulated environments. Currently serving at Madrona Specialty Foods in Charlotte, North Carolina, she oversees all quality-related operations, including internal audits, environmental monitoring, document management, staff training, and adherence to BRC, HACCP, and other food safety standards. Her expertise spans auditing, compliance, quality management systems, and supplier oversight, ensuring that every product meets rigorous safety and quality requirements.
Prior to joining Madrona, Madeline held key QA roles at Nutramax Laboratories and COTY Inc., where she led audit programs, implemented CAPA initiatives, conducted root cause analyses, and trained teams on compliance and operational excellence. She has developed company-wide audit-readiness training programs that empowered employees to take ownership of quality processes, positively impacting over 700 staff members. Originally transitioning into manufacturing from a background in education, Madeline brought her strong communication and process management skills to the QA field, quickly establishing herself as a trusted leader and resource across departments.
A lifelong learner and dedicated professional, Madeline approaches her work with excellence, not perfection. She is also a certified Christian counselor, integrating her faith and counseling skills into her professional life and community engagement. Passionate about continuous improvement, mentoring, and fostering high standards, she combines technical expertise with a values-driven approach, making her a respected and impactful figure in the quality assurance and specialty food manufacturing industry.
• Certified Christian Counselor
• Scrum Certification
• Process Improvement Certification from ASQ
• Certified Auditor
• PCQI Certified (two certifications)
• Campbell University – Bachelor of Arts (BA), Political Science and Government
• Moriah Institute of Christian Studies – Master’s Degree, Christian Studies
• Influential Women 2026
• Influential Women
• ASQ (American Society for Quality)
• Phone Counselor, SAFE of Harnett County
What do you attribute your success to?
I think one of the most notable achievements in my career was when I had the opportunity to develop audit training at my previous company. I had an idea one day - hey, let's do a video about being audit-ready, and what that entails. The company I worked for had an amazing media team, so we were able to put together a video that became part of their training portfolio for staff. It talks about what to do when there's an audit, how you should conduct yourself during an audit, what to say, what not to say, and all the things. I think that was one of my most notable achievements because it's a lasting thing, and it's a training that was used company-wide with over 700 employees. I would walk through the building, and they would say 'Audit ready, there's that audit lady,' and I didn't care if they knew my name - just understand, be ready for audits. It helped people to take ownership for their role in the process. The idea is that it's important for us to operate our business so that we are always audit ready - we're not trying to get ready for an audit, we stay audit ready.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Always be prepared and understand the importance of process and compliance. Take ownership of your responsibilities, embrace learning opportunities, and focus on excellence in everything you do. Audit readiness is not just for inspections; it’s a mindset for consistently high standards.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges include maintaining continuous audit readiness, managing a large internal audit program of about 44 audits per year, ensuring environmental monitoring and facility cleanliness, and handling workload intensity during critical issues. Opportunities lie in developing effective training programs, improving processes, and embedding a culture of audit readiness across the company.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I believe that when we do what we do, we should do it with excellence. It may not be perfection, but it can still be with excellence. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner - there's constant learning in my field, and I've pursued numerous certifications and training throughout my career. I also have a strong foundation in my faith - I have a master's degree in Christian studies and I'm a certified Christian counselor, which is very near and dear to me. Even though I was doing counseling before I got the certification, I practice it with people I come in contact with and through being active in my church. I really want to build a business on the side of just counseling for people who want to reach out and provide that service - it's kind of like Better Help with a Christian twist.