Her Story
About Amanda
I've been working in community advocacy for almost six years now, with four years at the sheriff's office in my main role as a community program supervisor. About three and a half years ago, I founded my own nonprofit organization, which is really a legacy for my daughter Sierra Leonea. It's a foundation dedicated to youth and adults with disabilities, focused on bringing more awareness and inclusion and bridging the gaps that many areas still have. When my daughter was diagnosed with a very rare genetic disorder, I realized through conversations with other parents and peers that so many families weren't aware of the services available for our children and for the parents themselves. Right now we're very small, but we're thriving. My next career goal is to make the nonprofit my own full-time career and expand beyond South Florida to reach the full state of Florida. I want to obtain more visibility for the organization so it doesn't have to be just me representing it, but rather everyone becomes aware of the vision as a whole. I balance wearing multiple hats as a full-time single mom, a day job with the sheriff's office, and running the nonprofit by finding balance and knowing when to put myself first before anything else, making sure I'm as healthy as possible and my daughter's taken care of, because having that balance between personal and professional is the key for me.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Amanda
01What do you attribute your success to?
First and foremost, I attribute my success to my mom, Nancy. I was raised by an independent woman on her own, and there's been a generational pattern of strong women in my immediate family. Without her, I don't know where I would have been in those early years of raising a child, because she raised me and was the perfect example of the woman to help me raise my daughter. Obviously, my daughter Sierra Leonea is also a huge part of my success, because without her, I would not have learned the things I have learned in the most recent 15 years. I wouldn't have met so many beautiful individuals without her, and I wouldn't have known about all these things since I don't have a medical background. Most recently, my fiance has been a huge support in our lives for the last four years. He has been instrumental in seeing the vision and the goals, and with his experience as a teacher and what he does with kids, he has that patience and drive that sometimes helps me when it comes to creating the full picture of what we want in life.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't listen to outside opinions. Even though I'm where I am today, you will always still have some doubt if you're making the right decision. But when something comes up where it may not have been the right answer, you learn from it. No decision you make will ever be wrong, because it would only guide you to the next part, to the next step that you need to make. Make sure you're making decisions for yourself and create your own values, creating that space for those values to thrive. Ask yourself if your vision is really yours, or is it what other people tell you your vision should be.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important value to me is finding balance and knowing when to put yourself first before anything else. Obviously, having a day job and making sure the bills are covered are important, and still making those connections in the community, but making sure that I'm as healthy as possible and my daughter's taken care of is paramount. Having the balance with personal and professional is the key, the beginning for me, honestly. It takes patience and grace to balance the emotional challenges of wearing multiple hats as a full-time single mom, working at the sheriff's office, and running my nonprofit.
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