From UCLA to 70+ Cities: End Overdose Sparked a College Campus Movement with Maddie Ward
Description
At just 23 years old, Maddie Ward became Chief Operating Officer of End Overdose, a nonprofit that’s trained over 500,000 people to identify and respond to opioid overdoses. What began as a grassroots effort at UCLA has since EXPLODED into a powerful, youth-driven network spanning 70+ cities, fueled by data, creativity, and pure heart.
Maddie offers a fresh perspective on how she built scalable systems for leadership, recruitment, and sustainability to empower students to take ownership of their local chapters. What’s also been key to their growth? Standardizing operations and giving volunteers autonomy!
We also explore End Overdose’s creative marketing partnerships with Insomniac Events, Goldenvoice (the producers of Coachella and Stagecoach), and major musicians to spark life-saving conversations across the country.
Resources & Links
Learn more about End Overdose on their website and Instagram and connect with Maddie on LinkedIn.
This show is brought to you by GivingTuesday! GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that started in 2012 with a simple idea: a day to do good.
This year, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, join the conversation: share your favorite nonprofit’s campaign, volunteer for a cause you care about, share an act of kindness, or encourage your audience to do the same.
Use #GivingTuesday, tag @GivingTuesday, and visit GivingTuesday.org/Participate to get involved and inspire others!
Let's Connect!
- Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
- My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
- Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!