Amanda joined the METC as a part-time DORS instructor in 2018, transitioning to the team full-time as a Training and Outreach Specialist in 2026. As a workforce development practitioner, Amanda has had the privilege of working with adults pursuing professional skill development and formal education for fifteen years. This has included working for AmeriCorps, universities and colleges across the state of Illinois, and most recently for the Department of Labor.

Amanda is a first-generation college graduate, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and a Master of Science in Workforce Education and Development. She is especially interested in rural workforce development and access to equitable professional training and career pathways for individuals from historically marginalized communities.  She cares deeply about DORS IP professional development opportunities, as her mother worked as an IP. Amanda saw first-hand the impact IPs have on their consumer’s life, and the importance of quality training and support.

Originally from Wisconsin, Amanda lives in Southern Illinois with her fantastic child and their beloved pets. Amanda enjoys volunteering at a local animal rescue, bingeing true crime and mystery thrillers, exploring the beautiful Shawnee National Forest and, most importantly, experiencing childhood for a second time through the eyes of her child.