I grew up in central Pennsylvania – a small town outside of Harrisburg. I ended up in Boston for college. I went to Tufts, where I majored in biology and thought I would be a doctor. I graduated – moved out to Seattle for a short time, worked random jobs, and realized I wasn’t interested in being a doctor. I moved back to Boston and worked as a program director for the middle school program at Girls Inc. in Lynn. After a couple of years, I earned my teaching certification for both math and science. I currently teach 5th grade science at the Edward Brooke Charter School. Teaching can really be all consuming and I like having a chance to do something totally different on the days I’m on the radio. I try to find time for other hobbies too – reading, softball, yoga, cooking…

I enjoy listening to all kinds of radio – music, talk, news, sports, etc. A few years ago I followed a lot of local musicians – particularly folk music – and I started listening to more local radio shows. I read a posting looking for Something About the Women DJs around the time I was hoping to learn more about radio. I would still like to learn and experiment more with using radio as a way to involve the community and share stories. I like that good radio introduces me to new music and new perspectives. When I’m visiting my family, I listen to WXPN out of the University of Pennsylvania in Philly, and I have discovered several great new artists from their programs. I have always been a fan of folk music – I’m a sucker for the women singer/ songwriters. Lately I have been developing more of an interest in jazz vocalists as well as R&B and world music. I also love listening to radio documentary shows – i.e. NPR Saturday afternoons – a little different than WMFO but still radio.

Amanda's 10 Desert Island Discs If she was stranded on a desert island, these are the discs she couldn't live without!   1. Feels Like Home by Norah Jones 2. Traveling Miles by Cassandra Wilson 3. Out of Range by Ani Difranco 4. Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder 5. Miss Folk America by Faith Soloway and Company 6. Fat City by Shawn Colvin 7. Trouble by Ray Lamontagne 8. 70 People at 7000 Feet by Melissa Ferrick with Brian Winton 9. Rent (soundtrack) 10. Small is Tremendous by Zoe Lewis BONUS DISC My Love is Your Love by Whitney Houston (Just for the title song. It’s my favorite, although cheesy and poppy!)

Amanda's Favorite Female Artists In no particular order...   Zoe Lewis Shawn Colvin Tracy Chapman Ani DiFranco Norah Jones Cassandra Wilson Melissa Ferrick Edie Carey Lauryn Hill Queen Latifah Angelique Kidjo Marta Gomez Ella Fitzgerald Aretha Franklin Aimee Mann

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