Growing up in rural Ohio, Amanda has always had a connection with farms and the land that grows our food. Her most favorite memories are the times spent in her small town with her grandparents growing tomatoes, green beans, and beets, fishing, and foraging for mushrooms. But her most formative time was spent in the kitchen with family. From standing on a chair at the counter learning to cook with her Pappa, to exploring new cultures through food with her mom, food has always been the center of her life.

Amanda moved to Nashville in 1998 to attend Belmont University. She received her degree in Music Business and worked in music publishing right out of college. She soon realized that she wanted more from her career and found herself drawn to nonprofit work. For over 17 years, Amanda has worked as a fundraiser at some of Nashville’s most notable nonprofits, including Second Harvest Food Bank, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville Zoo, and the Adventure Science Center. Her most recent experiences at The Branch of Nashville and the global animal welfare organization, Compassion in World Farming, gave her greater insight into what it takes to create a sustainable, equitable food system.

Amanda is excited to join the team at TNFP and unite her personal passions of cooking, sharing meals, and building community with her professional fundraising and relationship building skills. When she’s not at TNFP, Amanda loves to cook and create recipes for her blog, read, and check out new restaurants with her husband.