Professional Experience

Amanda joined the WINK News team in October 2011.  She anchors week nights at 4:00 PM, 7:00 PM, and 11:00 PM on WINK-TV and 6:30 PM and 10:00 PM on WXCW.  Amanda previously served as the evening anchor at WDHN in Dothan, Alabama.

Awards and Recognition

Amanda's work on the anchor desk and in the field covering breaking news has been honored by the Suncoast Chapter of  the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the Florida Associated Press, and the Florida Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

News Philosophy

To give a voice to the voiceless and hold the powerful accountable.

Hobbies, Interest & Community Involvement

Amanda volunteers and contributes to several annual events for charitable organizations including Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, Healthy Start of Southwest Florida, Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida, and the Southwest Florida Reading Festival. When she's away from work, Amanda enjoys reading, shopping, traveling, and cheering on the Florida Gators!

Education

Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication, University of Florida.

Likes best about Southwest Florida

Amanda was born in Fort Myers and raised between the Gulf Coast and Sebring in Central Florida, so it's great to be home!

Hometown

Born in Fort Myers, Fla., raised in Sebring, Fla.

Memorable Assignments

Amanda's work takes her all over Florida and the country covering stories of national importance. In 2016, Amanda covered the presidential candidates including two nationally televised debates and the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.  In 2017, she anchored WINK's coverage of President Donald Trump's Inauguration.

Interesting Fact

Amanda is a former Miss Florida Gator

Multiple Sclerosis Center of Southwest Florida. WINK News photo.

Multiple sclerosis center helps those with an incurable disease

If you Google, “multiple sclerosis,” you will find thousands of articles about drug trials, experimental stem cell transplants and endless research. But, there is no cure or even a known cause. More than 2,000 of our neighbors in Southwest Florida have multiple sclerosis. There is a unique center that helps people with the devastating disease. Inside […]

TopGolf blue-print of new Fort Myers facility.

Sneak peak of the new Fort Myers Topgolf blueprints and location

Brand new blueprints filed with the city reveal what the proposed Topgolf will look like in Fort Myers. The facility will feature golf with climate-controlled playing bays, along with an extensive food and drink menu, televisions and music that make for a party atmosphere. The blueprints show a huge driving range. There is still no […]

Elected officials talk algae in nation’s capitol

Sanibel leaders have been shuffling through the halls of Congress all day to make sure Southwest Florida waters —thousands of miles away—are a major focus of our federal lawmakers. Sanibel mayor Kevin Ruane has held face-to-face meetings, and he brought reinforcements from home: photos of the thick green algae choking the waterways. Congressional leaders are […]

Candidates vying for Gov. to square off at Sunshine Summit

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis will participate in a debate Thursday as they vie for the position of Governor of Florida. First elected to the Florida House at 22 years old, Adam Putnam came from a family of citrus and cattle farmers, which later served him well in the state’s […]

Hotels, restaurants unleash dog-friendly dining

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The next time you head out for a night on the town, you may not have to leave your pet behind. More hotels and restaurants are catering to the four-legged clients, offering special pet menus. When Tamara Waterston stays at The W Hotel, she splurges for her dogs and orders them […]

Texas boy, late for school, stops to recite pledge

SANTA FE, Texas — A mom in Santa Fe, Texas couldn’t understand why her 5-year-old son stopped at his school doors as she dropped him off at school Thursday. When she found out why, she took a picture that has since gone viral. It was the sound of the Pledge of Allegiance that prompted Thompson […]

More women than ever are running

FORT MYERS (CBS)– Women are outnumbering men in races, and it’s not just for the health benefits. Donna Briganti laces up her shoes and runs almost every day, and says her favorite part about running is the solitude. She’s certainly not alone. More women than ever are running, and their average age is 39. “You […]

PolitiFact: Trump gets ‘Pants on Fire’ on veteran fundraiser comment

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Donald Trump is back on the campaign trail in California, a day after a combative news conference in New York over money he raised for veterans earlier this year.  On Tuesday Trump identified more than three dozen veterans groups that received donations made on behalf of his foundation. Donald Trump continued to […]

WINK News Investigates: Women have worse credit than men

FORT MYERS, Fla- If you’re applying for loans or a credit card, you might be at a major disadvantage and not even know it.  You may not even be able to help it, because simply being a woman can be a set-back. Women have an average credit score of 621, compared to an average credit […]

PolitiFact: Do Trump and Clinton Share Planned Parenthood Views?

FORT MYERS, Fla.- In the run-up to Indiana’s primary, Sen. Ted Cruz accused Donald Trump of sharing Hillary Clinton’s views on immigration. In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on May 1, 2016, Cruz said “Donald and Hillary, they’re flipsides of the same coin. They’ve both gotten rich exploiting Washington, exploiting government power. So […]