Maddie Salamone is a legal policy analyst for Pacific Legal Foundation. Maddie is passionate about individual rights and has spent much of her career advocating for the fair treatment of college athletes and helping shape national policy on major issues within college sports. A former Division I lacrosse player, she applies the same grit and competitive drive she brought to the field to her work shaping policies that protect liberty.
Prior to joining PLF, Maddie spent much of her career advocating for college athletes, working with leaders and lawmakers to shape national policy and speaking publicly on the major issues within college sports. She has been a leading voice for institutional reform within college athletics for over a decade, starting with her work as chair of the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where she successfully advocated for college athletes to be granted voting power within NCAA governance. She was awarded the ACC President’s Award for Exemplary Service in 2017 for the lasting impact of that advocacy. She has also testified before Congress on name image and likeness (NIL) and protections for college athletes. She is frequently sought out for commentary and guidance on the latest college sports developments and legislation and has been featured on numerous news outlets, such as ESPN’s SportsCenter, Vice TV, CSPAN/Washington Journal, and Scripps News. She also produced informative content through her podcast, “Speaking of Athletes,” and her YouTube channel.
Maddie has represented college athletes on matters concerning eligibility, scholarship appeals, abuse and mistreatment, transfer, and mental health issues. She has also provided education and consulting on matters relating to NIL and NCAA policy. She previously served as vice president of the College Football Players Association (CFBPA). Her prior experience also includes working at litigation firms in New York and Florida.
Born and raised in Bel Air, Maryland, Maddie was a three-sport athlete in high school and an Under Armour All-American in lacrosse. She was awarded a scholarship to Duke University, where she was a member of the national semi-finalist Duke Women’s Lacrosse Team and earned her B.A. in public policy and a certificate in markets and management. An internship at Fox News for “America Live with Megyn Kelly” deepened her interest in law, policy, and the role the media plays in shaping public opinion and policy.
She went on to earn a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, which allowed her to remain part of the Tobacco Road rivalry. While in law school, Maddie completed an externship at the FCC, clerked for the Honorable Wanda G. Bryant in the North Carolina Court of Appeals, interned at CBS Sports, and served as a law student advisor for an undergraduate broadcast journalist team. Additionally, Maddie served as a Notes and Comments editor for the International Law Journal and was a member of the International Moot Court team. She also served on the board of the Sports and Entertainment Law Association (SELA) and hosted the annual Law Revue.
A Maryland native, Maddie is passionate about all things Maryland-themed and has made it her personal mission to get Old Bay back into tin cans at the grocery store. As a washed-up athlete, she is always looking for ways to turn any activity into a sporting event or adventure. She is also inclined to sing at random and loves getting others to join in (especially for some good carpool karaoke).
Maddie is a member of the bar only in the states of New York, Georgia, and Florida.