Amanda is a 10-time award-winning journalist who has been in the field for more than a decade. A graduate of Valdosta State University, where she was a features editor for the campus newspaper, Amanda has since moved on to embark on a career that has led her to winning top state awards through the Georgia Press Association.
She has been a lifestyles editor for The Valdosta Daily Times and a magazine editor for The Daily Times' monthly publication, Valdosta Scene, overseeing a small staff and being third-in-command in the newsroom. While at the Daily Times, she revamped the company's magazine, acted as a link between the community and readers and took on hard-hitting assignments that garnered her multiple accolades while remaining committed to community journalism.
Her leadership then took her to The Griffin Daily News, where she was a managing editor and department head who worked closely with the publisher and marketing manager. While there, she brought new light to the newspaper and its bimonthly magazine, Southern Crescent Living. She established new weekly departments for the newspaper while correlating opportunities for advertising and editorial to come together and share space on the pages.
Her awards include: two for Investigating Reporting (first and third place), Feature Photo (second place), three for Lifestyle Coverage (first and second places), Best Magazine Overall Design (first place), Magazine Cover Design (third place), Magazine Product (second place) and Religion Writing (third place).
The Associated Press has run 13 of her stories through its weekend wire, and she has had multiple stories to circulate both nationally and internationally in several print and digital publications. National Public Radio Atlanta (WABE) has interviewed Amanda about her work.
She has interviewed Adrian Peterson, Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp, Super Bowl Champ Malcolm Mitchell, Elizabeth Smart, two Harlem Globetrotters, Pam Tebow, Misty Copeland and the late Burt Reynolds. She has also photographed Shaquille O'Neal, Flo Rida and other public figures.
Amanda has a passion for storytelling and enjoys being a voice for the local community. While her work ranges from crime to business to education news, her heart lies in features journalism as it offers the chance to meet diverse people and share their stories in a way that matters. The readers and those she interviews will always come first for Amanda.
After his mom died, an 11-year-old Georgia boy stood on the side of the road with a sign as he asked for help with her funeral costs.
Big Lots has designated stores for closure nationally, and in Florida, after $205 million in losses for the first quarter of 2024.
Teens age 15 and younger will require a chaperone while visiting Six Flags Over Georgia starting Friday, park officials said.
FL driver's license and ID holders must soon change their card numbers to comply with a new state law authorities say promotes security.
Authorities said Monday inmates continued to be fed meals prepared at an Atlanta elementary school while staff received catered meals.
Georgia could join multiple other southern states to be inundated with storms during the next several days, forecasters say.
"Republicans have never been more united and the Democrats are a mess," Burt Jones tweeted after Joe Biden said he will not seek reelection.
Forecasters told Patch that "dirty rain," when rainfall blends with traveling dust, was present Monday and could return next week in FL.
"Democrats are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic," Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted after Joe Biden said he will not seek reelection.
The rainfall could travel from Jacksonville to Tampa Bay to Orlando, impacting nearby areas along the way, the forecast said.
While no severe weather is anticipated, weather officials said storms could scatter throughout the GA region in the afternoon and evening.
This Florida town is not only the eighth best city to live in the U.S., but it is also the 47th best city for livability globally.
Kitchen staff contractors partnered with Atlanta Public Schools to prepare hot meals at a local elementary school to serve inmates.
A viral video shows a Georgia boater being surrounded by several alligators as he heads to Billy's Lake in the Okefenokee Swamp.
Inbound flights into the ATL airport were delayed by at least six hours while several GA agencies reported downed systems statewide Friday.
This Georgia town is not only the second best city to live in the U.S., but it is also the 29th best city for livability globally.
Their arrests came when driving under the influence charges were dropped against UGA running back Trevor Etienne this week, a report says.
See which Virginia towns deserve a round of "ap-paws" for being named a 2024 Best Dog Park City by LawnStarter.
See which Maryland town deserves a round of "ap-paws" for being named a 2024 Best Dog Park City by LawnStarter.
In addition to responding to the hundreds of crashes in GA, authorities made at least 500 driving under the influence arrests, they say.
