Amanda is a licensed bat care specialist in the State of Texas, permitted to work with threatened and endangered species. Growing up she had the unique existence of bouncing between the life of an army brat and a farm girl, and -starting with a crippled chicken- began rescuing animals at around age twelve. In 1988, she found an injured bat on a hot Texas sidewalk. She nursed it back to health, and in the process this small helpless creature taught Amanda the enchanting language of bats, sparking her indelible love for this remarkable species.

In 1994, Amanda liquidated her furniture business to found Bat World Sanctuary. She credits her military upbringing with giving her the discipline it took to keep the organization going despite tremendous odds, and credits her farm life for enabling her to love all creatures great and small. 

In 1995 Amanda discovered the song of the Brazilian free-tailed bat and later discovered that these bats have over 25 different vocalizations they use to communicate. In August of 2016 Amanda received The Carol Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence and has twice been nominated for the Indianapolis Prize, the world’s leading prize for conservation. Since founding the organization in 1994, Amanda volunteered her time to Bat World Sanctuary 7 days a week, 365 days per year, 12 to 16 hours per day, before finally retiring in 2026.  Click here to read her CV.