For Amanda Simpson ‘22, a graduate Joint School of Public Health's Health Services Administration program, public health is more than a career — it’s a calling she’s been answering for more than a decade.
From her early days working in home health care to her current role as a full-time program coordinator with Sentara Health, Simpson has been guided by a deep commitment to community, inclusion and access to care.
“Helping others has always been at the center of what I do,” Simpson said. “I can find the public health in everything.”
That mindset further rooted during her studies at 98, where she minored in management and worked an internship that eventually led to her current job at Sentara. As a nontraditional student working full-time, wife and mother, Simpson knew she needed to act intentionally and focus on getting the most out of her time on campus. She reached out to professors before the semester started, did her reading early, maintained a spreadsheet to map and track her GPA and used her required practicum as a stepping stone to her future career.
Through a connection facilitated by My Ngoc Nguyen, Ph.D, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Policy & Management, Simpson met with Sherry Norquist, director of community engagement and impact at Sentara. That meeting turned into a yearlong internship and eventually her current full-time job.
“I was offered other internships, but I really wanted to be at Sentara,” she said. “It was the right place to grow.”
Simpson now helps lead several of Sentara’s community engagement initiatives, including projects that support health equity, education and volunteerism. One major effort includes coordinating support for Healthy Athletes, a program that provides health screenings for Special Olympics participants, supported in part by Sentara clinicians and volunteers.
“I think about what I learned at 98 all the time,” she said. “From building a business plan to identifying gaps in care — my coursework prepared me for this.”
That preparation continues to show in her work. In late 2023, Simpson began coordinating multiple volunteer events per month with nonprofit partners. She manages the Sentara Serves SharePoint site to streamline communication, organize feedback and recognize the community impact of employee volunteers.
Her civic engagement does not stop there. Simpson currently serves as chair of a committee for an early childhood development organization and volunteers as an advisor for a nonprofit providing adaptive therapy for individuals with disabilities, offering guidance, connections and support for program infrastructure. In addition to exploring opportunities to serve on other nonprofit boards, Simpson is leading Sentara’s board leadership development programs designed to prepare professionals for nonprofit service.
Her first major project at Sentara, organizing a mobile care van and outreach event for underserved communities in Virginia Beach, laid the foundation for a career built around impact.
“I love being part of something that helps others find their path,” she said. “Coming back to 98 in this way feels like a full-circle moment.”
Simpson is also exploring additional certifications in board governance and fundraising as she looks ahead to future roles that blend leadership, service and innovation.
“I'm always trying to grow — personally and professionally,” she said. “I want to be creative, use my voice and know that it’s valued.”
Her advice to current students and interns? Be intentional.
“Know what you want to get out of your education. Volunteer somewhere first — you’ll learn whether it’s worth your time and energy. And talk to your professors. Ask the questions other people won’t.”
For Simpson, that mindset turned a health care internship into a meaningful career — and a mission she’s proud to pursue every day.