I help organizations co-create with their communities to design and implement educational spaces + experiences around transformative changes for their community.
Hello. My name is Amanda and I am the owner of SciDesigns Communication.
All of the work that I do is grounded in the question often posed by my mentor Holly Truitt, “What is the change we seek to create?”
I am passionate about creating spaces that feel welcoming to multiple cultures and communities — a space that feels more like a community gathering space with friends but also functions as a way for people to access the resources they and their family need. I love to design ways to break down access barriers for all community members and go beyond an organization’s walls to meet community members in spaces where they already gather.
My journey began as a research scientist where I participated in outreach events for an after school biomedical research program for middle school students. A co-worker created a spark for me telling me “Hey, you’re really good at this.” I researched “scientist outreach” and landed a staff scientist position at a small science center. I got to wear many hats from project managing NIH grants to sweeping the floor. It was here under the mentorship of Holly Truitt, CEO of Holly Truitt Consulting, that I built my informal STEAM education toolkit and embarked on a journey of co-creation and co-designing with community members to be able to break down access barriers to create transformative changes.
How does one create transformative change?
From exhibits to face to face programming, I lead experiences co-designed with communities that meet the learner where they are and go in the direction they desire. My work is steeped in learning from prototypes tested by community members of all ages and backgrounds. Through this co-creation process, depth and ownership blooms.
I love to network and connect with new people. In my consulting role, I meet communities from all over the world. Hearing their language and learning about their culture brings me such joy and humility. I also love to learn about new topics and themes all the time. I love to facilitate and lead people down their own paths towards co-creation and change.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, mountain biking, reading young adult books, downhill and xc skiing, and hanging outside during the gorgeous Montana summers. I’m starting to dabble in wood working and making my yard more native bee friendly.
Comments from Project Evaluations
Nationally funded projects necessitate thorough evaluation by third-party external reviewers who engage with project participants and community members. Here, you’ll find comments from both reviewers and community members interviewed during my leadership and implementation of various projects.
It is noteworthy and rare to see the full spectrum of youth, pre-K through college-aged students, interacting with authentic science, science research, scientists, and one another in a museum setting on a daily basis.I think one of the benefits is I really felt I was listened to, and that what I had to say was important.One of our girls had a lot of anxiety, severe ADHD. I noticed toward the ends of the year, her attention was more focused and she had more self-confidence. And another student that is shy and quiet was more vocal and a lot more willing to try and do new things.I finally have these kids back; many were on the verge of dropping out and now they are talking about furthering their education past high school.The Brain Lab is an engaging and inviting place for visitors. The staff has created and continually expanded a set of high-quality, interactive lab activities ...that are adaptable by staff to accommodate the range of visitor ages to the museum, and a range in length of visit to the Brain Lab--so that visitors can readily engage in something that piques their interests, and in activities that are developmentally appropriate.EVERYONE is welcome - I so enjoy how kind and inclusive the staff is @ empower place helping littles by remembering names, engaging in appropriate tones and discourse.They take part in [science] activities even as teens!We love the learning experience with the playing.
