Staff Highlight: Amanda Pearson (Beights) Vice President, Leadership Programs

Amanda Pearson is the Vice President of Leadership Programs for the Leadership Collier Foundation (LCF) of the Greater Naples Chamber. In this capacity, she manages the Foundation’s leadership programs and initiatives focused on talent development, relationship building, and community engagement. Through Leadership Collier, Associate Leadership Collier, and Youth Leadership Collier, the Foundation’s Alumni Association has over 2,000 graduates to date. Amanda serves as the primary alumni program director and liaison for the Foundation’s Advisory Council. As the Leadership Collier Foundation continues to expand its work with community leadership, Amanda leads the strategic planning for the LCF and oversees its current implementation.

Amanda, an experienced educator, earned her BS from Ohio University and her MA Summa Cum Laude from Florida Gulf Coast University. Her ten years of experience teaching included leadership roles such as: Dean of Early Childhood Education and Master In-Service Coordinator with Royal Palm Academy in Naples, Florida; Lead Teacher at St. James Lutheran School in Chicago, Illinois, and member of the Core Leadership Team at the Catherine Cook School in Chicago, Illinois.

Amanda is a graduate from the Institute for Organization Management (IOM), the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and has received the recognition of IOM. Awarded to all graduates of the Institute program, the IOM Graduate Recognition signifies the individual’s completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management.

Amanda enjoys serving her community and sits on the City of Naples Public Arts Advisory Board, Child’s Path Advisory Board, Naples Historical Society Young Executive Society (YES! Ambassadors), Grace Place Ambassadors, and the Collier Board of Advisors for the Children’s Movement of Florida. In her past, Amanda has served with the: Naples Junior Woman’s Club Board, Shelter for Abused Women and Children “Next Gen” Board, Blue Zones Community Engagement Committee, Hope for Haiti “Next Gen” Board, and the Grace Lutheran School Board. As a former foster parent, Amanda also enjoys chairing a foster family recruitment committee of which she supported founding.

For her work in the community, Amanda has been recognized as one of Gulfshore Business’ 40 Under 40 in 2016, a Naples Illustrated Rising Star in 2017, and she is currently in the Leadership Florida, Connect Class 10.

What can Chamber members come to you for? Learning about how to be a community leader in Collier County to build a stronger economy!

Best Advice you have ever received: There is too much to count here, but I have learned a lot through the tremendous mentors I have in my life, so the best advice I would boil that down to is to seek mentors!

What is one of your favorite quotes? “Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader…they set out to make a difference. It’s never about the role—always the goal.”

Favorite place to travel: I have been dreaming of going to the Amalfi Coast in Italy for years, and I am thrilled to have been able to experience that this summer! Salute!