Amanda first learned about PFS while working on her Master’s in International Development Practice at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School. Her studies had helped her develop a healthy skepticism about many approaches to development, and she was beginning to wonder what kind of model she could get behind—but PFS’s model stood out to her. In particular, its emphasis on local knowledge and industries, so programs informed by the context where they’re being implemented. Amanda loves working with so many interesting people, including the staff in Africa and the volunteers, and she says she is always learning from them. Before PFS, Amanda worked as a paralegal at an immigration law firm, specializing in clients from Sub-Saharan Africa, and consulted on a number of measurement and evaluation projects addressing poverty and equity issues. Outside of work, Amanda spends a lot of time outdoors, hiking, camping, and connecting with the earth. She also enjoys traveling anywhere, even to the Porcupine Mountains to stay in a yurt in the dead of winter. Favorite destinations include Kenya, Zanzibar, India, and Ecuador.