Amanda Wilson, MSRS is Strategic Engagement & Project Manager with Active Living Research. Amanda significantly contributes to the communication, dissemination and capacity-building efforts of ALR. She manages ALR’s special supplement journals, provides technical assistance to grantees, plays a lead role in the coordination of ALR’s webinars and helps identify potential co-host organizations to increase the reach of grantee research findings. With a master’s in parks and recreation she provides a valuable connection with programs within this discipline and will continue to promote ALR’s work and develop new partnerships. Amanda also plays a key role in coordinating ALR’s annual conference, which convenes up to 350 researchers, advocates and policymakers from a wide variety of disciplines to present and learn the latest advancements on environmental and policy issues related to physical activity.

Before moving to San Diego to join the Active Living Research team, she was the assistant event director for an annual, weeklong bicycle and tent camping tour in Florida.  She continues to be an advocate in her own community for safer bicycling and pedestrian facilities and rides her bike to work (almost) daily.

Why is physical activity important to me?

I have always been a competitive person, so sports have given me an outlet for my urge to compete.  I started playing fast-pitch softball at the age of 8 and have also run cross-country and played basketball.  In graduate school, I joined a club rugby team and continue to play, although I think I am nearing my retirement age!  The main thing I love about team sports is all of the great friends that I have made and the opportunity that it has give me to travel all across the US and as far as Dubai.  I credit my athleticism to my parents who refused to get cable, so I only had 4 blurry channels to watch on television.  This, along with no computer in the house and a lot of yard, made playing outside the safe and easy choice for me from a very young age.