Hi, my name is Amanda and I am an active duty Air Force officer, currently working at the Pentagon.  My journey to this point has been full of twists and turns, but I always try to embrace life’s challenges and refocus on what is important to me.  I value family, friends, and helping others. I was born on New Year’s Day in 1982 and am the oldest of three girls. I grew up in Maine and spent a lot of time outdoors: camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, boating, and sledding.  My folks also taught us responsibilities through gardening, wood splitting, one summer of haying and raking blueberries! I have always been a combination of a nerd and a tomboy. I played soccer and ran cross-country while also participating in the school band and drama club as a drummer and lighting/set design technician.  I loved sci-fis as much as historical documentaries and always enjoyed a good debate. After graduating high school, I bounced around my first couple years of college trying to find my calling and ended up studying to become a pilot at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. After September 11, 2001, I decided I wanted to join the Air Force and become a pilot.  Embry-Riddle offered me the path to my dreams and scholarships through Air Force ROTC and the university’s cross-country/track team. In the fall of 2004, I was on the verge of graduating and achieving all of my goals when I Suffered medical complications from a blood clot. I discovered I have a genetic abnormality which would impact the rest of my life. In reality, my blood clotting episode could have killed me.  Medical professionals made it clear I was lucky to be alive. I spent the next 6-months healing and fighting to get back any aspect of my dreams. Through determination and support from friends and family, I was able to commission as an officer in the Air Force, but I could not be a pilot. I decided my desire to serve outweighed my need to continue my flying career and over the next twelve years, I worked with so many great people who helped me grow as a leader.  I fought to keep my career one more time, due to another blood clot, and won against all odds. I also learned to appreciate my career field, mentor others, and do my part to positively impact Air Force operations from my current position on the Air Staff.  I rescued two dogs, who really rescued me, and took them with me everywhere until cancer took them from me in their senior years. I met my husband, John, along the way and we worked hard to keep our relationship strong across thousands of miles while we were dating.  We tied the knot after moving in together in the suburbs of our nation’s capital. We spend our time making the most of life through traveling, enjoying new experiences together, and spending time with family and friends across the world.