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

PolitiFact Florida: Teachers group says students spend 45 days a year testing

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Criticism from parents and teachers has forced Florida lawmakers to act on state standardized testing. The Florida House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would eliminate an 11th grade test and ease other testing requirements. Florida Senators are considering their own bill. With all of this attention on testing, WINK News […]

Sen. Ted Cruz becomes first major candidate to announce a presidential bid

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) – Sen. Ted Cruz opened the first major campaign of the 2016 presidential season Monday with a kickoff speech courting cultural conservatives and declaring that he will devote himself to “reigniting the promise of America.” One of several Republican hopefuls to rise from the tea party movement, Cruz spoke at Liberty University, […]

Helicopter crew killed in panhandle crash identified

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The Louisiana National Guard has released the names of the four-person flight crew of a Black Hawk helicopter that crashed in the Santa Rosa Sound along Florida’s Panhandle in a nighttime training exercise in dense fog last week with seven elite Marines aboard. All eleven on the Black Hawk were killed […]

Hillary Clinton addresses email controversy

UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Hillary Rodham Clinton says she opted to use her personal email account while secretary of state because of convenience. She says it “would have been better” to have used two email accounts. Clinton was answering questions Tuesday for the first time about her email practices as secretary of state. The potential […]

Sen. Marco Rubio unveils tax overhaul to help businesses and families

WASHINGTON (AP) – With an eye toward a possible run for the White House, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio signed onto an extensive plan Wednesday to cut taxes for investors, parents and businesses in an effort to spur economic growth and create jobs. The plan would likely add billions to the national debt, though no official […]

Standardized testing delayed for Lee County 10th graders

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Students across Southwest Florida and around the state are supposed to be taking the Florida Standards Assessment test this week, but technology troubles meant some students couldn’t log on. Hillsborough County halted tests in 18 middle schools. Some Palm Beach County students in three grades were also unable to log into to […]

Exclusive: Legal business owners blocked from becoming citizens

NAPLES, Fla.-  All eyes are on President Obama’s plan to shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, but only WINK News uncovers an untold story. Thousands who are in the country legally, and investing in the U.S. economy, can never call themselves American citizens. In 2008, Colin Glass and his wife June moved to Naples […]

President 2016: WINK News in-depth with Sen. Rand Paul

FORT MYERS, Fla.- A possible candidate for President is making bold moves. Senator Rand Paul, R-KY, wants to win over conservative voters in Southwest Florida, despite its consideration by many to be home turf to former Governor Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio. Senator Paul finds himself in an interesting position balancing his loyalty to […]

Sen. Paul tests message in SWFL in possible White House bid

NAPLES, Fla.- Possible Republican Presidential nominee Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, stumped in Southwest Florida Saturday.  Senator Paul met with voters at an event titled ‘Coffee and Conversation’ at Tiburon in Naples. Senator Paul says he will make a decision this Spring.  He’s on a campaign tour of several states “testing his message.” “It’s an arduous […]

Advocate: “Fifty Shades of Grey promotes domestic violence”

NAPLES, Fla.- Even before ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ opens in theaters Friday, the film is already taking heat. The movie, based on EL James’s best-selling novel centers around Christian Grey, a powerful CEO, and Anastasia Steele, a younger college student. Some domestic violence advocates say the two characters are the definitions of abuser and victim. […]