Student Experience
Life Beyond the Redwoods: Maddison Brodeur at Girl Scouts Heart of Central California and Maddison’s Communitea
One year after graduating, Maddison Brodeur (Stevenson ’25, community studies and sociology) is a Regional Coordinator at Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, running her own business, Maddison’s Communitea, and currently serving as Miss Black Sacramento through Nov. 2026.
Maddison Brodeur graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2025 with degrees in community studies and sociology. Photo by Jayden Samuels.
First-generation graduate Maddison Brodeur (Stevenson ’25, Community Studies and Sociology) took advantage of every opportunity that was available. In her four years at UC Santa Cruz, Brodeur was heavily involved in the Santa Cruz community, holding over 10 leadership positions on and off campus. When graduation season came around, she was a commencement speaker at three ceremonies for Stevenson College, Community Studies, and Black Grad.
Now, one year after graduating, Brodeur is continuing to harness the experiences and education she gained at UC Santa Cruz, working full-time as a Regional Coordinator at Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, running her own business, Maddison’s Communitea, which offers reproductive wellness education and prenatal and postpartum support, and currently serving as Miss Black Sacramento.
“Going to UC Santa Cruz, I made sure to take advantage of all the resources I could get my hands on. UC Santa Cruz is the foundation of my professional experience,” Brodeur said. “Because I have 3-4 years of experience right out of college, I have the opportunity and ability to apply for full-time jobs and continue my path as a mentor, advocate, and organizer. I am truly my ancestor’s wildest dreams!”
At UC Santa Cruz, Brodeur served as a Black Academy mentor, a Program and Marketing Intern at the African American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC), Chief of Staff and Program Director for the Student Union Assembly in the Diversity and Inclusion office, and President of the Mixed Ethnic Cultural Student Association (MESCA)—to name a few.
As a Black Academy mentor, she guided incoming freshmen and transfer students through their first year at a predominantly white institution, helping them navigate higher education often for the first time. She continued that work at AARCC, helping organize community staples like Black Grad, the Welcome Black BBQ, and the Black Gala. In the Diversity and Inclusion office, she oversaw three interns and coordinated weekly programming alongside partner resource centers and clubs like SlugCents and MECHA, helping connect students across campus with resources and opportunities in a student-centered environment. As President of MECSA for four years, she created space for mixed-identity students to explore their experiences together, culminating in events like the annual MECSA Mixed Mixer.
“Being able to think critically about my identity in a space with other students facing similar challenges and realities as a mixed person—that was truly the dearest thing to my heart.”
Additional roles Maddison Brodeur held at UC Santa Cruz:
- A financial Peer Mentor through the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program
- A Community Intern through Community Studies Field Study at Santa Cruz Black Nonprofit
- Mid-Year RA for Cowell College
- Undergraduate researcher through Courtney Boum’s Race and Social Justice lab in the Psychology Department
- RA and SRA for COSMOS
In addition to her experiences at UC Santa Cruz and in Santa Cruz County, Brodeur spent her last quarter in Washington D.C. through the UCDC program. Through the program, Brodeur interned at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (often referred to as America’s Oldest Black Think Tank).
“I was able to explore a new city and get hands-on experience with policy on the research side,” Brodeur said. “Especially in President Trump’s first couple months in office in 2025 and how his executive orders were affecting the Black Community.”
Throughout her time at UCSC, Brodeur credits much of her growth to the mentors who guided her along the way. As a Cowell and Stevenson Program Assistant, she found support in Christina Audas. Through SlugCents and the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program, she was mentored by Tiffany Zachmeier, who helped shape her understanding of financial literacy and advocacy. Her work at the African American Resource and Cultural Center connected her with Melissa Chimwaza, Autumn Johnson, and Mafaz Cossio, along with the broader community of AARCC and ERC student interns.
Today, Brodeur continues that same spirit of community leadership in Sacramento, California, where she currently holds the title of Miss Black Sacramento 2025. Professionally, she works full-time as a Regional Coordinator at Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, where she recruits, trains, and supports volunteers, builds partnerships with community organizations, and helps expand leadership opportunities for girls across an 18-county region. Through volunteer development, community engagement, and program support, she continues the same commitment to mentorship, advocacy, and creating opportunities that defined her time at UC Santa Cruz.
Alongside this work, she runs her own business, Maddison’s Communitea, a Sacramento-based wellness venture centered on reproductive health education, herbal care, and community conversation. Born from a seed grant through the Oakland-based entrepreneurial nonprofit Biz Stoop, Maddison’s Communitea creates spaces for women and womb carriers to learn how herbs can support them through every stage of life—from menstrual health to menopause, prenatal care, and postpartum recovery. Rooted in reproductive justice, the project addresses the historical and systemic lack of access to care in BIPOC communities, reviving ancestral womb medicine through intimate tea gatherings, an educational resource guide, and free tea kits distributed through Little Free Libraries and community organizations across Black neighborhoods in Sacramento.
“My overarching goal is always to make holistic care feel accessible, practical, sustainable, and rooted in community.”
Looking forward in her career, Brodeur plans to one day pursue a Ph.D. in public health and/or policy. She also is staying connected to UC Santa Cruz, serving a two-year term on the Alumni Council.
Life Beyond the Redwoods features 10 Class of 2025 alumni who share how their time at UC Santa Cruz prepared them to launch their careers one year after graduation.