Sara (Braaf) Madden

Name: Sara Madden (Maiden Name: Braaf)

Pledge Class: 1994

Major/Year graduated: Political Science/ 1998

Family Flower: Pink Carnation

Big(s): Audra Walsh

Little(s): Christie  ?  She was and extremely active and influential member.  I can picture her face, but not her name.

Positions Held: Fundraising Chair, Conference and Formal planning, I think Service Committee?

Nickname: Charm

Favorite APO Moment:  With the passage of time, it all seems to get merged together....The flashes I have are of:  camaraderie, fun, friendship, learning new things, camping, late night get togethers, planning for Formal and meeting the most interesting and amazing people!  While we all joined hoping to meet new people and find a niche to belong, we also joined because we loved to serve.  I was blessed to be a part of a mix of people with those goals and ideals.  I learned so much about myself.

How APO impacted your life: In college, I added to my APO service as a Cardinal Key member, Resident Advisor, United Way Chairperson and an active member in CCF.  Through these experiences, I realized I wanted to make service work a career.  Upon graduation, I became an AmeriCorps*VISTA member in rural Maine.  I worked with community volunteers to address the educational needs of less advantaged children.  After a year of service, I attended Syracuse University's Maxwell School and earned a Masters of Public Administration with a special focus in nonprofit management.  For the next 5 years, I worked in the Washington, DC area to advance both local and national community service initiatives.  For a short time following that, I also served as both a short term and long term missionary assisting international communities to meet their daily practical needs while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Following my missionary service, I went back into the nonprofit world to work with a national cancer organization and a training company that assisted pharmaceutical companies.  Then.....I became a full-time stay at home mom. :-)  My most important career!

A little about your life now: I have been married for almost 8 years now.  We have one boy and two girls aged 6, 4, and 2.  I live near St. Petersburg, Florida.  I am a full-time stay at home mom.  I volunteer at my my church, our children's schools and on their athletic teams.  My husband and I look forward to instilling the love of community service in our children.