Amanda Forsmark

Amanda has spent most of her career working with young people by way of school-based health centers. She began her journey in adolescent health in 2011, in the Saginaw School-Based Health Centers. Through this role, she authored and managed grant initiatives, delivered evidence-based curricula, created a thriving youth advisory council, built a strong community collaborative, organized large-scale community events for youth, and connected with hundreds of young people and community members. She was involved in school-based health center advocacy at the state level and was the primary author of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant that secured $100,000 in annual funding for the SBHCs. She also worked closely with her local school district to reinstate their sexual health advisory committee and design an up-to-date K-12 sex ed curriculum, utilizing Michigan Model. She has been recognized nationally for the work she’s done. She was awarded the Geiger Gibson Emerging Leader Award in 2016 and in 2018 was the inaugural recipient of the Rising Star award from the School-Based Health Alliance.

In 2023, Amanda joined Sterling Area Health Center as the Director of School-Based Programs. In this role, Amanda is overseeing the planning and implementation of four new school-based health center sites in rural Northeast Michigan.

Amanda states, "Since the first day I stepped foot in a school-based health center, I knew that was where I was meant to be. I have seen the benefits of SBHCs first-hand and the impact the program has made on countless young people. I also see the value they (SBHCs) add to the school districts they serve and the community at large. Young people are our future, and I know the programs and services offered by SBHCs allow space for them to grow and thrive. It is the best feeling in the world to watch a young person grow into who they are meant to be, and to know you and your program played a part in that process."