Meet Amanda

Originally from the suburbs of Chicago,  Amanda is the oldest of 5 kids.  Attending Catholic School for many years, she considers herself a product of the Catholic School Community. After graduating High School in 1999, she went  on to attend Arizona State University. 

She quickly realized she loved her internships; she worked at both 944 Magazine and PEOPLE Magazine.  After finishing school, she went to Los Angeles to conquer her dreams of working with the media.  After a quick stint as a Marketing Assistant at The Grammy's, Amanda found a position as a Publicist at a Hollywood Firm.  Based in Australia with offices in NYC and LA, she completely fell in love with life in the Publicity Industry. 

Amanda eventually moved back to the Scottsdale-area and, in 2009, married the only one for her, Anthony. She has since worked throughout the U.S. in Public Relations, Entrepreneurship & Media.  After becoming a mom in 2014 to Mia Valentina,  Amanda  focused more on writing, mostly so she could easily work from home.

In 2018, Amanda had an unbelievably traumatic experience while with her husband and then 4-year-old daughter. After falling 40-feet from an Energy Vortex in Sedona, AZ, Amanda was airlifted to a near-by hospital with little chance at surviving.  In the hospital for nearly a month, Amanda suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI,) could not walk, had a broken arm and cracked vertebrae.  She didn't wake up for days, and she finally moved her body when Anthony played music from her favorite artist, Stevie Nicks. In the times when she was up, she often thought she was 15 years old living in Illinois.  Her ability to live a normal life seemed to nearly impossible.  

When Amanda could finally return home, she was at the mercy of ongoing therapies, including physical, occupational, speech and psychiatric. Everyday she looked better, but suffered a great deal internally.  Although feeling completely isolated, confused and fearful, she fought aggressively forward, determined to be a mom to Mia. 

Within 3 months, Amanda could drive a car!  She soon was able to volunteer in Mia's preschool class and again lector at Church.  She slowly began understanding the books she read, started writing for a local magazine, and in November 2018, her family flew to Italy to celebrate the first holiday season being a survivor.  In 2019, Amanda was ready to help her husband launch a new company. 

After working as a content manager for Tony Robbins & Dean Graziosi Mastermind, in 2020 Amanda became Head of Publicity at a national communications firm that focuses on clients that are making the world a better place.  

Amanda is simultaneously working on her legacy,  ExperienceAfterglow.com.  This is extremely special to Amanda:

After her accident, Amanda was at preschool pick-up for Mia.  When talking to a fellow mom acquaintance, 

the woman mentioned  that Amanda's afterglow was very noticeable.  That stuck with her.

Near that time, a dear high school friend and mom of 2, Grace, lost her battle with colon cancer.  

In preparing for her own death, Grace personally wrote her Funeral Memorial, titled "Afterglow."   

When seeing that, Amanda knew Afterglow would eternally be her mission.