Amanda (she/her). I was born in Darlington County, South Carolina, and started my college years as a music major until I discovered that there were universities where you could study folklore. After graduating, I got my masters in folklore at the University of Newfoundland and my doctorate in folklore at the University of Pennsylvania. I was the Education Director at City Lore for 28 years and am now Director of Special Projects in Education. Before coming to City Lore I was a folklorist with the Queens Council o the Arts and before that I worked on projects and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival that is held annually on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. I am married to Steve Zeitlin (Director of City Lore) and we have two grown children, Ben and Eliza. I have taught courses in folklore as an adjunct at several universities, but my real passion is working with K - 12 students and teachers. So, I am very excited about meeting and working with you this summer.

When I'm not working at City Lore, I enjoy gardening, reading (currently reading James McBride's Deacon King Kong), photography, and listening to music, both recorded and especially live performances.

Something unexpected about me: I have a fascination with trains - riding them, listening to them in the distance, watching them, and when I was in college, hopping them - my longest hopping trip was from Spartanburg, S.C. to Atlanta, Ga. When I visit my family in S.C., I take a 13 hour train ride, and it feels more like 4 hours. Someday I'd love to take a train trip like Sahar took several years ago - ask her about it!