Amanda McDougald Scott credits the summers she spent in rural North Carolina with her grandmother, Rose McDougald, as the inspiration for serving her community. Her “Grandmama” was her role model. She was a teacher, a nurse, and an integral part of her church family and community. More than anything, her grandmother understood that belonging to a community matters — and that it matters what we do for our neighbors.
Amanda learned the values of inclusion, empathy, action, and service to her neighbors from her grandmother, and will bring those values to Greenville County Council – District 24 (Greenville, Mauldin, Conestee), and to all of her neighbors in Greenville County. Amanda believes in building relationships and coalitions, and has done so for years in her professional career in nonprofits and research.
Amanda has a long history of community service, research, and advocacy in the Southeast, beginning with her work in Augusta, GA, as the founder of the nonprofit, Healthy Augusta. She has worked on cardiovascular and health literacy research at Vanderbilt University and has served in leadership roles in nonprofits for more than a decade. Since moving to Greenville in 2014, she most recently served as a Research Associate for the Institute for Child Success, where she advocated for systems, policy, and practice excellence for young children. Prior to that role, she coordinated the return of Head Start to Nicholtown and assisted Rep. Chandra Dillard in growing the Nicholtown Child and Family Collaborative from a grassroots taskforce to a 501c3 non-profit organization.
Amanda is currently a PhD Candidate in International Community and Family Studies at Clemson. She has a Master of Science in Applied Experimental Psychology. Amanda is also a member of the Emerge Class of 2020, Clyburn Fellow, and graduate of the Furman Women’s Leadership Institute. Amanda serves as co-Chair of the Greenville County Democratic Party Candidate Development Committee, Past Chair of the Prisma Children’s Hospital Community Advisory Council, the Junior League of Greenville LEAD committee, as well as the Keeping Greenville County Beautiful and Upstate Carolina Education Outreach Boards.
But her favorite qualifications are as Grandmama’s granddaughter, Brandon’s wife, and especially Polk’s mom. Amanda has always been inspired by her grandmother, and today, she also draws inspiration from her four-year old son, Polk. He is the most important factor in why she is running. He is the most important job she has, but one that she doesn’t get to list on her resume.
Once elected, Amanda will work to improve access to affordable housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, and a clean environment, all with a commitment to inclusive diversity. She is a natural connector and will work to bring people together and get things done to enhance and advance the lives of every person living in District 24.
Her campaign website is www.amandaforgreenvillecounty.com. You can subscribe to her biweekly newsletter, #AmandaMondays at her website, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook at @amandaforgc.