Amanda is one of the youngest mental health leaders in our nation. She has given over 150 keynotes since age 18, created award-winning films with leading organizations, and served as the youngest board member of the largest grassroots mental health nonprofit in the U.S.
Amanda is one of the youngest mental health leaders in our nation. She has given over 150 keynotes since age 18, created award-winning films with leading organizations, and served as the youngest board member of the largest grassroots mental health nonprofit in the U.S.
When we embrace mental health as an everybody and every-industry issue — and create space to tell our stories — we build stronger teams, systems, and communities.
is the theme that sculpts Amanda’s talks. During college, she spent three months in a psychiatric hospital after experiencing a crisis. While in the hospital, a thoughtful nurse handed Amanda a box of crayons. This simple and kind gesture changed everything in Amanda’s life – and kickstarted her journey becoming a young leader, social entrepreneur, and award-winning filmmaker. Amanda learned from the inside-out how the systems works – and most importantly – the power of leading with vulnerability and the ‘superpowers’ behind pain and trauma. I choose to share my story openly as a personal challenge to myself, and to invite others to reflect on their own. For me, it began my freshman year of college, when I experienced a crisis and spent three months cycling between ICU, inpatient, and outpatient services. I learned how the system works from the inside-out. At one of my lowest points, a thoughtful nurse handed me a box of crayons. That small act reminded me that creativity and kindness could still exist inside pain. It changed the course of my life. That moment led to my core message: Think Outside the Crayon Box – a reminder that small acts can have big impact, and that we all have the power to pay it forward without expectation. Since then, I’ve made it my mission to turn lived experience into innovative tools, serve on boards that shape policy, and make inspiring films about tough topics.
Amanda was truly amazing and inspirational. After hearing her story, she makes you realize the need to look at life and frankly the world in a different light.
In a world where shame and stigma around mental health can secretly suffocate success and happiness – changing the narrative is key. When vulnerability and adversity is seen as an opportunity to expand, rather than a weakness to overcome, it can create a ripple effect in organizations that is rooted in trust and authenticity. When we feel safe and seen – we unlock community, confidence, and innovation.
In this story-driven and creative presentation, I take your audience through a series of powerful lessons that inspire us to think differently about mental health – for ourselves and in the workplace. Using my ‘crayon box method’, we uncover the layers that are holding you back so you can thrive and then pay-it-forward. As a filmmaker, I weave in stories of people’s journeys to illustrate the diversity of resilience – that everyone’s path looks differently. I use crayons as a creative and fun metaphor to dig deep and think “outside the box” of mental health.
In every keynote, Amanda goes the extra mile — pre-interviewing executive teams or audience members and thoughtfully incorporating their voices into the talk. She also weaves in short films of other people’s journeys, creating a dynamic, engaging, and deeply memorable experience.
Each audience member receives a box of crayons — a powerful and playful symbol of what’s possible when we think differently, embrace vulnerability, and recognize that we all have a story worth sharing.
Sometimes our “life plans” don’t go exactly how we planned. But your voice and every step is significant. There is a superpower underneath your unique story and identity. Amanda shares her full circle journey from being a patient at a psychiatric hospital and dropping out of college, to becoming an young leader and documentary filmmaker in mental health care.
Pulling up a seat at the table can be feel vulnerable and scary. At the age of 19, Amanda was appointed to the largest grassroots mental health nonprofit in the U.S., the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), making her the first and youngest board member in the organization’s history. This led to serving on Google’s Mental Health Advisory Panel. These roles catapulted her into learning “on the job” the politics and responsibility of leadership – while also balancing her own personal identity, hobbies, and dreams. Amanda challenges youth to lean into their passion, get uncomfortable, and speak up. A feeling of Failure really stands for a First Attempt In Learning. And to not forget to have fun and invest in yourself in the process.
Being bold doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes it looks like making a quiet, unconventional choice – and standing by it.
For me, that choice was vanlife. During the pandemic, I built a van and radically simplified my life. What started as a practical decision became a powerful metaphor for how I lead, create, and protect my mental health. As an introvert who does very extroverted work, the van forced me to ask better questions: What do I actually need? What’s just noise? And what happens when I design my life on purpose instead of by default?
This keynote invites audiences to reflect on the places where they’ve been playing it safe – personally or professionally – and what it might look like to live and work more authentically. Using vanlife as a metaphor, I explore how daring to be different creates space for clarity, creativity, and more human-centered leadership. Because innovation doesn’t come from copying what’s expected – it comes from trusting who you are.
She presented a keynote talk for my regional mental health training and technical assistance center and she was amazing! She is also invested in making sure she’s able to meet the goals you have for her session. She incorporated my comments into her presentation brilliantly.”
Amanda’s journey to becoming an award-winning documentary filmmaker and multimedia artist began in the psychiatric hospital. She was a patient herself, and found healing and empathy in the creative process of storyboarding the stories of patients around her. This kickstarted Amanda’s filmmaking and comic book career working with clients around the U.S creating products that raise awareness and education about mental health topics. Having now interviewed over 300 people producing 100 short films and comic books, Amanda has witnessed a range of powerfully vulnerable and diverse stories. In this presentation, Amanda shares short films and behind-the-scenes of her filmmaking and multimedia practices. Plus, the bigger picture of how films and comics can be used to improve systems of care, reduce stigma, and get people into care sooner. And perhaps, most importantly, how filmmaking practices translate to everyday values in life: the power of listening, empathy, and storytelling.
Sometimes our “life plans” don’t go exactly how we planned. But your voice and every step is significant. There is a superpower underneath your unique story and identity. Amanda shares her full circle journey from being a patient at a psychiatric hospital and dropping out of college, to becoming an young leader and documentary filmmaker in mental health care.
Pulling up a seat at the table can be feel vulnerable and scary. At the age of 19, Amanda was appointed to the largest grassroots mental health nonprofit in the U.S., the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), making her the first and youngest board member in the organization’s history. This led to serving on Google’s Mental Health Advisory Panel. These roles catapulted her into learning “on the job” the politics and responsibility of leadership
Even a year later I have people come up to me to tell me about what an amazingly powerful and engaging presentation she provided. The blend of education, personal story, and inspirational hope building was perfect for our event.”
