She holds an MFA in theatre directing from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a BA in theatre arts from the University of Minnesota, Morris. Her professional credits include work as a director, playwright, puppeteer, actor, and mom to Celia and Eli. Amanda is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the International Union of Marionette Artists, and is a past recipient of the Kennedy Center National Teaching Artist Grant and Missouri Governor’s Award for Excellence in Higher Education.