Meet Amanda

Amanda McVann is a RISE AmeriCorps member serving her second term with the RISE AmeriCorps Macro Team.

Originally from New York, Amanda earned her bachelor’s degree at Binghamton University in Linguistics with a minor in Korean studies. She then moved to Dallas, Texas where she earned a master’s degree in Biblical and Theological Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. She is currently in her final year at Fuller Theological Seminary in their online Master of Divinity degree program.

As a lifelong learner, Amanda  has always been fascinated by the stories people carry within themselves and has dedicated herself to the service of others since childhood. After meeting her husband and relocating to rural southern Iowa in 2021, Amanda spent her first initial months learning about the social issues facing vulnerable and minority communities within her new context. It was during that season when she first joined the RISE AmeriCorps program and partnered alongside EMBARC Des Moines staff to uplift, empower, and equip refugee and immigrant communities.
During this term, Amanda hopes to continue learning more about Iowa through the embodied stories of those around her as she leads antiracist & justice training in her local community while serving as a Member Leadership Coordinator at EMBARC.
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 In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her dogs, playing video games with her husband, and learning new skills on Canva.

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