Amanda Battles began her entrepreneurial career over a decade ago, on the campus of Florida A & M University,  where she cultivated her skills in leadership, coalition building and consulting. She and other students lead grassroots efforts to drive awareness during the groundbreaking Martin Lee Anderson case, which lead to an overhaul of the Florida juvenile justice system. She didn’t know it then, but that experience would lead her into using her public relations and design skills for campaigns that offer solutions to the worlds ails. Before graduating, Amanda gained her first few clients with two leading local PR firms, a homeless shelter for women and a music conservatory for kids.

While setting the early foundation of her business, she solidified her career working full-time as a Marketing Analyst for Valic, a financial planning company. Amanda was charged with developing communication materials and an internal website targeted at maintaining Valic’s largest client, Chicago Public Schools. Inspired by her daytime work, she began to infuse social impact elements into her consulting business.

Amanda’s passion led her to eventually leave her daytime position to pursue her consulting business full-time. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the House of Battles, a social impact agency, Amanda grew her influence across cities like Chicago, Dallas, Jackson, and Tallahassee. Amanda’s diverse background demonstrated leadership skills in creative direction, nonprofit management, community-based outreach programming, and digital media strategies for humanitarian organizations.

Over eight years, Amanda worked with leading humanitarian brands like American Heart Association, Chicago Urban League, the National Coalition for the Homeless, Room to Read, and many others. Her love for charitable giving strategies has helped feed and educate hundreds of women and children living in poverty. Amanda acknowledges that a large part of her success is attributed to the influence of mentoring relationships in addition to human and community-centered consulting.

With a narrow focus, House of Battles specializes in using the power of strategic insights, storytelling, design, and grassroots organizing to propel socially responsible brands.  Amanda’s agency empowers entrepreneurs to use their businesses as a leading force for behavior changes, policy progression, community development, and transformative thinking. Amanda hopes to continue her good work creating more responsible cities across the world. Amanda currently resides in Chicago, IL with her husband and two children.

Education

Bachelor of Science · Florida A & M University, Public Relations / UX Design

Master of Fine Arts · Columbia College Chicago, Cinema Directing