I’m back at UKANDU Camp this week, and while I don’t have the time to write a new reflection, I wanted to reshare what I wrote last year—because it still holds true, and maybe even more so.   UKANDU is a non-profit whose mission is to provide joy, hope, and connection to communities impacted by childhood and […]

It’s July 7th and even though the sun is shining, things feel a bit grey today. As I write this newsletter, children’s lives have been lost during an historic flood in Texas and the “Big Beautiful Bill” has passed, creating a devastating ripple effect in healthcare and social services. I feel as if I’m writing […]

Summer rolls in with sunshine, yummy grilled foods, gatherings, and clear, starry nights in the Pacific Northwest. As I look back at May and June, it feels like a complete whirlwind of activities, end-of-year celebrations, milestones, and transitions. I soaked up so many happy memories and stayed present during festivities. But, as the July sun […]

This past weekend, we celebrated my son’s graduation from high school. Like many of you, spring means celebrating milestones – school, sports, activities, and transitions. They are ripe with mixed emotions and embracing all kinds of landmarks.  As I sat in the sun at Sherwood High School, I kept telling myself, “Soak it all in, […]

This week, I’m announcing TWO fabulous events in the world of Dr. Amy, LLC. First, my book with Dr. RJ Gillespie has one a distinguished award! The Society for Scholarly Publishing has awarded our book with a Gold Epic Award for 2025. The Epic Awards acknowledge individuals and teams driving innovation and impact across scholarly communications. It’s a bit of a […]

Today, I packed up my daughter to send her back to Corvallis after staying with me for a week. She had reconstructive knee surgery last week and she’s been staying with me, post-surgery, to recuperate and heal. I find myself somewhat somber today and reflective of our week together. While I would never want my […]

If you’ve followed me for long, you know senior year is a big deal in our family. We celebrate hard, we show up, and we don’t let anything get in the way of the accomplishments that are baked into the year. So, similar to the past 4 Mother’s Day weekends, I’m in Burns, OR. Burns […]

There’s a lot going on in the world. For me, it’s both personal and professional. April represents a relentless month of training, educating professionals, supporting my team, and a great deal of personal upheavals. People keep asking me, “How do you do it?” “Are you ok?” And so, I’m going to tell you exactly how […]

I’m sitting here on this beautiful, sunny day, thinking about all the ways helpers and professionals in human-facing organizations need more support. They need hope, tools, and accessible ways to help children and families NOW! So, today, it’s all about CONNECTION! I want to give you updates on how to get certified or re-certified in our signature certification program, […]

Last week, my partners at Head Start lost federal funding for their regional sites. In the Pacific Northwest, that’s Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Idaho. It’s heartbreaking news. These are my friends. My colleagues. These are children that I see playing joyfully with dedicated adults in their lives when I visit centers. If you want to […]