Amanda McNatt

“For some students, there is a moment where the lightbulb goes off and they just start to get it. For others, it comes more gradual and you are able to look back and see where they have been and how far they have come. Whatever the case, the opportunity I get to see a young woman come into her own, to begin to heal, to begin to believe in herself, and to see the light return to her eyes, is what makes Sunrise so deeply special to me. It is worth the sacrifice and hard work that is put into every single student.”

Amanda graduated from Dixie State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminology. She became interested in the field of criminal justice after seeing the need for more rehabilitation within the criminal justice world feeling there was the most opportunity to serve adolescents. She started working at Sunrise while finishing up her degree and found just what she was looking for. Amanda left Sunrise and moved to Texas where she worked as a 911 dispatcher and enjoyed working with Police, Sheriff’s, Fire, and EMS departments. After returning to southern Utah, Amanda was happy to come back to Sunrise and continue her growth here. Born and raised in Southern Utah, Amanda left Utah shortly after graduating high school and lived in New Mexico, California, and Texas. The youngest of seven children and she is blessed to say that she has a great relationship with all of her siblings and in-laws. Amanda is happily married and has two you boys. Her greatest joy is spending quality time with her own little family, and all of her extended family. Amanda enjoys camping and being in the mountains, exploring cities, and having shopping and lunch dates with her mom.

“Life is amazing. And then it’s awful. And then it’s amazing again. And in between the amazing and the awful, it’s ordinary and mundane and routine. Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful and relax and exhale during the ordinary. That’s just living a heartbreaking, soul healing, amazing ordinary life. And it’s breathtakingly beautiful.”  -L.R. Knost