When I asked Alli Madden about the most influential person in her life, she chose her mom. Jacki Madden raised Alli and imprinted many of her beliefs and parts of her personality onto her daughter.

Jacki worked as a special ed teacher for many years, inspiring Alli to begin working with special needs children, “the job I have worked the last 6 years is because of her.”

Alli also received her tenacity and stubbornness from her mom, “She is really outgoing and loud when something isn’t fair,” this has instilled in Alli to have confidence in the decisions she makes.

Alli gets her adventurous spirit and curiosity about other people and cultures from her mom as well, “she had a student’s mom that made her tamales like once a month, which helped make her more culturally open.” Jacki being open and interested in many different cultures helped to grow that in Alli as she grew up.