Amanda is a writer and editor living in Ithaca, NY. Her writing passion began with personal journals and short stories as a child, which morphed into a series of mommy blogs after she had her son in the mid-aughts. Nearing forty, she decided to follow her dream and returned to school to earn her MFA in creative nonfiction from Chatham University (where Rachel Carson earned her degree in 1929!). In recent years, her writing has appeared in a wide range of places, online and in print, from literary magazines to the local newspaper.

The opportunity to work at Literary Mama opened the door for more editing experience and she stayed there for 11 years. Amanda started as a blog editor, moved to the creative nonfiction department, and then became a senior editor while eventually serving as Editor-in-Chief from 2018-2022. During that time she incorporated the all-volunteer organization as a 501(c)3 nonprofit and led several successful fundraising campaigns. Find more of her work here. In 1999, Amanda thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail by herself. Her memoir In My Boots about the six-month adventure was published this year by Black Rose Writing.

Since 2018, Amanda has served on her County Legislature, participating in many committees and boards, focusing on environmental, water resources, health and human services, and government operations issues. She loves trees, mountains, the Adirondacks, and everything in nature. When not writing or editing, you can find her on a trail somewhere.

Author website: http://www.amandakjaros.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandajaroschampion/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Amanda-K-Jaros-Author/100089608878145/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-k-jaros-champion-082b6842/