The Connecticut Oral Health Initiative, Inc. 

Newly recruited to lead our fundraising efforts to support the mission of advancing oral health equity in Connecticut. I take a relational approach to development, building genuine connections with donors, partners, and community members.

Development Manager

Journaling for Growth

Chief Journaling Officer

CT Library Consortium

Community builder for librarians. First to fill the role of Events & Special Projects Manager for statewide membership collaborative serving ~1,000 Connecticut libraries. 

Known for my personal brand of magic - creating spaces where members felt safe to learn and grow, turning nebulous ideas into concrete programs and services, and planning and executing events so fun they didn't feel like work - I helped members of our community feel seen, heard, and valued, and provided opportunities for them to build skills to better serve their communities. 

Known for being an innovative thinker who imagines creative solutions to problems, often anticipating needs before they arose, I instigated moving our Roundtable program virtual in early 2020, teaching members to use Zoom and modeled how to run an effective meeting. (Librarians went on to use what they learned here to put on programs for their own communities.)

I partnered with the Connecticut Storytelling Center to launch a storytelling training workshop series for librarians. I conceptualized and executed three different vendor expo models, all of which were wildly successful. And I established a new Program Directory to connect libraries with performers and workshop providers. 

I led the national Take Your Child to the Library Day initiative, serving as project manager, growing the program in visibility through projects such as the creation of both community-centric and librarian-centric websites, speaking at the Public Library Association Conference in April 2024, and publishing an article in Public Libraries Magazine in Summer 2024. I partnered with EveryLibrary to create Advocacy Training webinar series to build capacity among children's librarians, and established State Ambassador program to build support and visibility nationwide. I partnered with Demco to create a line of promotional products for TYCLD 2025.

Events and Special Projects Manager

Northwest Village School

I was selected as the first certified library media specialist at this therapeutic day school for special education students ages 4-21.  

Tasked with creating our library media program, I transformed a humble bookroom into a vibrant library ecosystem welcoming and accessible to students of all ages and our teachers and support staff. 

I implemented a new library automation software system, replacing the traditional card catalog, revamped our entire collection of materials, assessing gaps for each section and curating age-appropriate resources, and established new collections of both print and digital resources. 

As the designer of library, information and research, and technology skills curricula that I delivered to students, I was part of our teaching team, delivering instruction to students, facilitating professional development for teachers and support staff, and collaborated with teachers on technology integration and co-teaching classes. 

I created safe and welcoming spaces for all of our students, differentiating instruction, employing de-escalation strategies as needed, and building strong relationships with our learners and instructors. 

I had the joy of surprising and delighting students and staff by instituting school literacy events including annual Read Across America celebrations, coordinated external speakers, and introduced graphic novel collection (our most popular and widely circulated school collection).

Library Media Specialist

Avon Free Public Library

As part of our children's services team, I had the amazing privilege of supporting children and families who came to the library.

While on desk, I assisted children and families with navigation of library materials, equipment and resources; provided readers’ advisory services, connecting readers with engaging materials.

I executed original programming for children including reader’s theater workshops, family thank you letter writing, and thematic creative programs connected to the Amazing Castle™ installation. 

I partnered with Teen Librarian on Book Buddies program pairing elementary school students with middle and high school students to foster reading skills.

And I brought my skills from my experience at Northwest Village School to tactfully manage challenging patrons (i.e. high energy and or poor in-library behavior) resulting in reduction of risk behaviors in the library.

Children's Library Specialist

Self-Employed

Family Sabbatical

Ketchum

At Ketchum (formerly Capital Strategies), I worked with associations such as the North Carolina Economic Developers' Association and NC Go! on events (meetings, conferences, legislative days), editing newsletters, and providing member support. I helped develop communications plans for organizations such as Junior League of Raleigh.

Project Coordinator

Journaling is one of the simplest, most beneficial habits you can use to create the life you want to live. 

And yet something is keeping you from it. 

Whether you’re completely new to journaling and don’t know where to start, you’ve journaled some but not found what works for you yet, or you’re a seasoned journaler looking for new ways to infuse your journaling with energy to get the results you want, I can help. 

✍️Why work with me?
If you were going to do it on your own, you would have by now. The information is out there. But you haven’t figured out how to make it work for you yet. And that’s okay. I love getting to help folks just like you create journaling practices that help you reach your goals. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here. We start with you, what you want to achieve, and find simple, sustainable ways to make it happen. 

✍️How to work together
If you need:
🌱A LITTLE BIT OF SUPPORT, check out my curated journal prompt collections through my Substack newsletter. At just $8/month, you’ll receive a daily journal prompt designed to help you get to know and love yourself a little bit better AND solve the problem of not knowing what to write about. (journalingforgrowth.substack.com)

🍀MORE SUPPORT, we'll work together to create your bespoke journaling practice that aligns with your personal growth journey. It’s all about you and what you need to grow. And it starts with a conversation. (tidycal.com/amandastern/strategy-call)

✨ Beyond Journaling—Event Planning & Community Building
Along with my passion for journaling, I bring years of experience as a community builder, event planner, and facilitator. I thrive on creating spaces where people can show up as their true, authentic selves and have real conversations that spark connection, growth, and impact. Whether it’s a small gathering or a large-scale event, I specialize in curating experiences that foster meaningful connections and create positive change. If your organization or mission-driven nonprofit needs someone to plan and facilitate events or build a thriving community, let's talk about how we can make it happen.

✍️ About Me
I’ve been journaling since I was an angsty teenager, and it's my go-to tool for learning and growth. I've used it to uncover what I truly want, make plans to go after it, hold myself accountable, and celebrate success, all while creating a life I don’t want a vacation from. When I’m not journaling, you can find me with my nose in a book, puttering in my garden, laughing with my family, and trying to decide what to make for dinner again tonight.

Amanda Stern ✍️

The Pocket PhD

Writing for Renegades.

I help free thinkers shape content that is clear, captivating, and impactful. My clients don’t just want to educate their audiences or tell a story that engages readers, they want to kindle curiosity, activate, and spark action in all who read their content. They have big, bold ideas. They know their ideas are worth sharing and that getting those ideas out into the world will elevate their brands. But they may not know where to start. I help them get their books out of their heads and into the world through ghostwriting and developmental editing.

My LinkedIn clients get a shiny new, custom profile update, professional blog posts written to their specifications and reflective of their brand's personality and voice, and 3 custom-written LInkedIn posts per week. We work together to brainstorm topics, get inside the heads of your target audience, and find your unique angle. Then our team researches and delivers all content for your approval.

I offer the following services to small business clients in versatile industries:

► Book ghostwriting and developmental editing
► Content consultation
► Ghostblogging
► LinkedIn content creation
► LinkedIn audits and consultation

Owner and Decider of All Things

The Upside

The Upside is a community of top independent consultants who join forces to advance their businesses.

Consulting Member

Jansen Communications

Jansen Communications is a boutique marketing and social media agency. As a subcontractor for Jansen Communications, I create content marketing for Jansen's kickass clients. In terms of industry, Jansen's clients run the gamut from transformational corporate communications, to dynamic sales consulting, to portable luxury bathroom rentals to meet all your outdoor event needs.

My responsibilities as a subcontractor include:

► Creating website content
► Creating email newsletters
► Researching and ghost writing articles
► Providing marketing advisory as needed
► Ghost writing blog posts optimized for search engines

Junior Copywriter

Spring Insight, LLC

Spring Insight is a website strategy, design, and content marketing agency headquartered in Washington, DC. As a subcontractor for Spring Insight, I helped clients in a variety of industries from senior in-home care services, to corporate recruiting, to executive consulting.

Responsibilities as a subcontractor included:

► Content editing
► Ghostwriting blog posts
► Website page content creation
► Marketing research and support
► Email marketing content creation

Copywriter

Coastal Carolina University

I taught a total of 40 philosophy courses (mostly introduction to philosophy and introduction to ethics) to college students with various backgrounds and majors.

My responsibilities and skills included, but were not limited to:

► Public Speaking: Delivered multimedia presentations to groups of 25+ weekly; developed strong ability to handle Q&A, while teaching college courses ranging from beginner to advanced level
► Classroom Management: Developed syllabi, created lesson plans, organized visual media, managed course website, mentored students, wrote letters of recommendation
► Attention to Detail: Provided timely, detail-oriented feedback on up to 500 total pages of undergraduate writing per semester
► Project Management: Organized conferences on and off campus, served as faculty advisor for the philosophy club
► Research: Analyzed qualitative data for publication in academic journals

Visiting Assistant Professor

Washington University in St. Louis

I taught a total of 5 philosophy courses (mostly ethics and political philosophy) to college students with various backgrounds and majors.

My responsibilities and skills included, but were not limited to:

► Public Speaking: Delivered multimedia presentations to groups of 25+ weekly; developed strong ability to handle Q&A, while teaching college courses ranging from beginner to advanced level
► Classroom Management: Developed syllabi, created lesson plans, organized visual media, managed course website, mentored students, wrote letters of recommendation
► Attention to Detail: Provided timely, detail-oriented feedback on up to 500 total pages of undergraduate writing per semester
► Research: Analyzed qualitative data for publication in academic journals

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

I taught a total of 10 philosophy courses (mostly introduction to philosophy, ethics, and political philosophy) to college students with various backgrounds and majors.

My responsibilities and skills included, but were not limited to:

► Public Speaking: Delivered multimedia presentations to groups of 25+ weekly; developed strong ability to handle Q&A, while teaching college courses ranging from beginner to advanced level
► Classroom Management: Developed syllabi, created lesson plans, organized visual media, managed course website, mentored students, wrote letters of recommendation
► Attention to Detail: Provided timely, detail-oriented feedback on up to 500 total pages of undergraduate writing per semester
► Project Management: Organized an international conference in the Netherlands, secured $27,600 in grant money, presented a paper on political philosophy and ethics
► Research: Analyzed qualitative data for publication in academic journals

Ghostwriter, Content Marketing Strategist, Renegade PhD | Let The Pocket PhD Handle 90% of Your Content Marketing | Finish Your Business Book and Watch Your Ideas Spread Like Wildfire 🔥 269.370.8002

I’m a ghostwriter, so everyone tells me they want to write a book... but most never will. Writing the book is not the first step. Before you write a business book, you need a Big Idea, which means you need to be a Big Idea Expert.

What’s a Big Idea Expert? I’m glad you asked. That’s my term for what others refer to as a thought leader. 

Big Idea Experts 
🔥 OWN their expertise. 
🔥 Are driven by a desire to connect people with ideas.
🔥 Earn their authority by confidently sharing their most provocative ideas. 
🔥 Take a seat at the table, rather than waiting for someone to offer it to them.

If you are a Big Idea Expert, then you need to cultivate your Thought Leadership Ecosystem. I’m not talking about “going viral” or generating leads. 

I’m talking about creating a strategic and dynamic system of content that becomes your visibility engine—your thought leadership platform.

Most people think content alone is enough, but content without a clear strategy is not thought leadership. Thought Leadership takes time to develop and build. 

THIS is what separates those who want to write a book from those who are successful business book authors.

When you have a platform, your business book writes itself—and if it doesn’t, that’s what I’m here for.

The Pocket PhD works with Big Idea Experts in 2 ways:

The Full Program: Thought Leadership Development
►  6 phases to grow long-term thought leadership & strategy (18 months on average)
►  Everything starts with ideation to find your Big Idea
►  We test out your ideas in both short- (on LinkedIn) & long-form (articles or blogs)
►  Outcomes: book and/or keynote address

VIP Day: Thought Leadership Foundations
►  3x 90 minute sessions to define your foundational thought leadership 
►  We co-author 1 LI post (short-form) to test your idea & gauge your audience’s reaction
►  We review your long-form strategy
►  We edit 1 long-form piece together
►  1:1 check-in post sessions

Here’s a client success story:

Our team worked with the CFO of a law firm who came to us looking to gain visibility on LinkedIn. We suggested focusing on introversion in leadership (his Big Idea). Posting about this showcased his vulnerability, grew his audience, and landed him podcast interviews and press coverage. Now he’s considering writing a book on this topic.

As you can see, beyond the tangible deliverables, there is also a halo effect of PR, speaking opportunities, and press that come with developing thought leadership.

If you’re a Big Idea Expert, let’s cultivate your Thought Leadership Ecosystem!

taplio

The Battle

Amanda Stern ✍️

Emily Crookston, Ghostwriter

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