By Matt Mackinder
Clarkston News Editor

Madeline Dunn grew up in Clarkston, graduating from Clarkston High School in 2009.
Since then, she has traveled the world chasing her dreams as a professional skiier, ultimately seeing health issues derail those aspirations, however.
These days, Dunn is enjoying a revitalized life as a motivational speaker, something that may have been foreshadowed when she was the student speaker at the 2009 Commencement ceremony at Pine Knob Music Theatre.
“Most doctors still don’t have a good explanation or name for what I experienced,” said Dunn, who has relocated back to Clarkston. “The symptoms were pins and needles across my face and body as well as debilitating brain fog, depression, and shock waves of muscular and neurological pain. This is what caused me to quit skiing in 2021. Recently, I had an integrative medicine doctor from Beaumont suggest that my sympathetic nervous system was in overdrive for too long and that excess cortisol could be the cause of all my symptoms.
“I was diagnosed with six chronic health conditions in 2021. Some doctors at the time thought I had multiple sclerosis, which was never diagnosed, alongside a sleep disorder, an endocrine disorder, autoimmune issues, and a few other things all at once. It was absolutely debilitating. With prayer and the carnivore diet, no prescription drugs, I have gotten rid of the majority of my symptoms and even my blood work has improved. February 2022, I couldn’t open a door and today I run multiple businesses and feel very hopeful for the future.”
In her new job, Dunn said her past has made it a smooth ride going forward.
“I have had to train myself to see the positive, which is why I believe I am able to motivate and encourage people,” said Dunn. “I have trained my brain to find the good in every situation. Peace of mind is a learned skill by accepting things we cannot change and trusting that we will be OK despite the bad in our lives. Life is guaranteed to be difficult. Once we can accept this as a fact, our brains will stop wasting energy feeling sorry for ourselves trying to fix things we cannot change. Instead, we can use that wonderful brain power to actively see the beauty that is within every moment of life. Air is always there when we need it. Children keep growing, although sometimes too fast it seems. Your smile can automatically make someone else smile without saying a word.
“This world is equally as beautiful as it is difficult. Once we trust and truly accept this as a fact, everything changes.”
This Saturday, Dunn is speaking at Operation Breast Density’s annual gala at the Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township.
Dunn also explained what the average person might not know about being a motivational speaker.
“No one is born a speaker,” said Dunn. “If you have a story to share, you can train yourself, or be trained, to speak up. Everyone has a story and your story can save someone’s career, someone’s marriage, or even someone’s life, but you’ll never know if you keep it inside. I actually have a membership (speakupmembership.com) where I teach entrepreneurs how to triple their clients without social media by leveraging public speaking on virtual and in-person stages. I teach them how to get confident, get visible, speak powerfully, and get the gig.”
As a youth in Clarkston, Dunn attended Everest Academy for first grade, Independence Elementary for the rest of grade school, then Clarkston Middle School (first class to spend ninth grade at the middle school), and CHS. She then went to Specs Howard School of Media Arts in 2009-10, Northern Michigan University from 2010-11, and the University of Michigan from 2011-14.
“Fourth of July was always my favorite holiday growing up in Clarkston,” Dunn said. “I was like a kid on Christmas morning waiting to go downtown early to get a good spot for the parade. We would spend all day at Clintonwood Park getting our faces painted and playing before coming home to shower, change, and go back for fireworks. My family is still in Clarkston.”
Dunn moved back to Clarkston last August from Alaska. Before Alaska, she lived in Aspen, Colo., for five years and Alta, Utah, for two winter seasons and before that across the world “chasing winter as a professional skier living out of my car, with friends, and in Airbnbs in Argentina, Chile, Oregon, Washington, California, Utah, Colorado, and Alaska.”
Now firmly entrenched as a motivational speaker, Dunn says the sky is the limit as she looks to reach her goals that include deepening her faith journey, building a family, and living out her purpose in life sharing her story with the world.

PHOTO: Clarkston native and current resident Madeline Dunn is all smiles with her dog Eli, a 12-pound toy cavapoo. Photo: Brielle Danae Joubert