“As a child of the only Jewish family growing up in a small town in rural upstate NY, I quickly learned the painful lessons of anti-Semitism, racism and exclusion. This laid the groundwork for a lifelong commitment to racial justice work defined early on as a teen activist that worked to get MLK day recognized in my school district, as a diversity trainer in NYC public schools in the 90’s and later through my work in progressive philanthropy to support community organizing.”

Amanda Berger, CPC Amanda brings thirty-five years of social justice experience to her coaching practice. Amanda has an extensive background in progressive philanthropy and transformational leadership development through her work with the Funders Collaborative for Youth Organizing, the Women Donors’ Network, Rockwood Leadership Institute and Communities for Public Education Reform (CPER). Amanda has a special interest in the design and management of effective collaborations and networks.

Amanda currently is the Director of Community Partnerships with Insight Garden Program (IGP), a 48-week eco-literacy, permaculture gardening, and Inner gardening curriculum offered to people incarcerated in 10 prisons in CA. In that position she supports IGP’s relationships with re-entry, criminal justice, environmental education organizations and fund development. She is also the co-founder of Coaching for Healing and Non-Violence (CHNV), a coaching certification program for incarcerated leaders at Lancaster State Prison. Amanda serves as a member of the Transformative In Prison Program Working Group, a coalition of 85 organizations that offer restorative justice, family reunification, and other humanizing healing programs in California’s.

She is passionate about working with women leaders who want to step into fuller leadership roles while staying connected to their values and what’s most important in their lives. Deeply attuned to trust and safety, Amanda works with clients to explore their greatest hopes and fears with an eye toward “what’s possible” and creating new habits and ways of being.

Amanda brings practical experience, direct communication, compassion and accountability to her coaching sessions. In addition to her coaching practice, Amanda consults with foundations and social change organizations interested in fostering collaboration, learning communities, networks and policy change.

Amanda currently resides in the Bay Area with her partner and lovely animals, Zuma and Suki.