Madison Campbell (businessperson)
Madison Campbell | |
|---|---|
Campbell in 2023 | |
| Born | Madison Pulford Campbell October 26, 1995 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School Hampshire College |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Years active | 2018–present |
Madison Pulford Campbell (born October 26, 1995) is an American model and businesswoman who is the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Leda Health since 2019.[1][2]
Early life and education
Madison Campbell was born in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania in 1995.[3][4] She grew up in a conservative Catholic family in a suburb of Pittsburgh.[3]
Campbell's initial foray into the performing arts was in musical theater, which she pursued at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School.[3] However, a lisp, considered a hindrance for auditions, prompted her to switch to dance.[3] This pursuit was cut short due to a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve disorder that impeded her ability to perform.[3] Following her diagnosis, Campbell decided to major in public health and epidemiology at Hampshire College, aspiring to earn a Ph.D. in epidemiology and work at NASA. During her last semester, she was in an abusive relationship, felt her career plans derailed by NASA budget cuts, and ended up dropping out.[3][5]
While at Hampshire College, Campbell established a Young Americans for Liberty chapter. She interned at the Charles Koch Institute and Senator Rand Paul's PAC.[3]
Career
Prior to co-founding Leda, Campbell founded Iyanu in 2018, a company designed to address the equity gap in Nigeria by connecting individuals to jobs in the United States.[6]
In 2019, Campbell founded MeToo Kits, later rebranded as Leda Health after the mythic Greek queen, Leda.[3][7][8] Her decision to start Leda Health was driven by her own experience as a survivor of sexual assault, stating she sought to help others face challenges in collecting evidence and seeking justice.[9][10][11] The company developed an "early evidence kit" in close collaboration with medical and law-enforcement personnel, using blockchain to encrypt data.[12][13] This data, attached to a specific user account, allows sexual assault survivors to collect evidence without the need to visit a hospital or police station.[10][13] The kits are available in Florida.[14] Three years afterward, Leda Health expanded its services to include Plan B, STI testing, and raised $7 million in funding.[3][15][12] In 2022, Leda Health was included in Fortune's Change the World list.[16]
In 2023, Campbell was crowned Miss Pittsburgh.[4][17] A year later, in 2024, she served as an alternate delegate for Pennsylvania at the Republican National Convention.[18][19]
Personal life
Campbell dated Martin Shkreli between February and August 2023.[17][20] Campbell says the two bonded over being "healthcare pariahs" but chose to keep her relationship with him private due to his reputation.[20]
Awards and recognition
- Forbes' 30 Under 30[3][15]
- CES Award[21]
- Maverick's 40u40[22]
References
- ^ Goldsmith, Annie (23 December 2021). "A Startup Founder Moved to Las Vegas for the Weather, Then Developed Political Ambitions". The Information.
- ^ Katz, Ella; Davidson, Elle; Calfo, Caitlin (March 6, 2021). "A world without evidence with Madison Campbell". Annenberg Media.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Chapin, Angelina; Heaney, Katie (February 23, 2023). "'Call Me a Scammer to My Face'". The Cut.
- ^ a b Funk, Harry (September 15, 2023). "As Miss Pittsburgh, Bridgeville native promotes advocacy for survivors of assault". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- ^ Kawanabe, Asuka (May 11, 2020). "性暴力のリアル──「DIYレイプキット」をめぐる議論から私たちが学ぶこと。" [The reality of sexual violence: What we can learn from the debate over "DIY rape kits]. Vogue Japan.
- ^ Amirudin, Iriani (3 May 2021). "Finance: The harsh realities for women, and survivors, in venture capital". The Edge.
- ^ Orlova, Alisa (December 2, 2022). ""We Help Survivors of Sexual Assaults" – Interview with "Leda Health" co-founders". Kyiv Post.
- ^ Nashrulla, Tasneem (September 12, 2019). "The 23-Year-Old "MeToo" DIY Rape Kit Founder Says She'll Fight Law Enforcement's Demands That She Stop Advertising". BuzzFeed News.
- ^ Shamus, Kristen Jordan. "MeToo Kit CEO says Mich. AG has it all wrong. She didn't want to profit from rape victims". Detroit Free Press.
- ^ a b Williamson, Alex (September 5, 2019). "DIY rape kit startup's 23-year-old founder says she is a sexual assault survivor". Brooklyn Eagle.
- ^ Elnashar, Ahtra (September 6, 2019). "Founder of 'MeToo' sexual assault evidence kit speaks out". WXMI.
- ^ a b MacColl, Margaux. "Sexual-assault scenarios. Questions about used condoms. Two female founders share their ugliest moments when pitching VCs for their controversial rape-kit startup". Business Insider.
- ^ a b Cuen, Leigh (May 4, 2021). "Radical Ethereum entrepreneurs are redefining what 'rape kit' means". TechCrunch.
- ^ "Leda Health offers fast, discreet DNA collection kits to sexual assault survivors". August 18, 2021.
- ^ a b "Leda Health". Forbes.
- ^ "Leda Health | 2022 Change the World". Fortune.
- ^ a b Reingold, Olivia. "Is Madison Campbell a 'Fraud'—or a Feminist Hero?". The Free Press. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ^ MacColl, Margaux (July 20, 2024). "Lavish parties and moral dilemmas: 4 days with Silicon Valley's MAGA elite at the RNC". TechCrunch.
- ^ Reilly, Briana (July 26, 2024). "Base seemed OK that GOP pushed 'big tent' appeal at convention". Roll Call.
- ^ a b Ecarma, Caleb (2023-10-16). ""Are You Dating Martin Shkreli?": How A Pharma Bro Fling Upended Madison Campbell's Start-Up". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ^ "Innovation Award Honorees". www.ces.tech.
- ^ "Future40". Maverick PAC.