Most school field trips expose students to new ideas. For Amanda, a field trip brought her a new career. Amanda was joining her class on an 8th grade field trip to Pioneer Place, a mall in downtown Portland, when an agent approached her and insisted she should be a model.

In spite of her mother’s initial hesitation, the 5’8” green-eyed blonde was determined to pursue a career in modeling. “When I put my mind to something, I usually accomplish it,” she says. With work in Japan, and an appearance in the latest GUESS? campaign, it seems Amanda is well on her way. Amanda credits her newfound success to sheer determination, lots of luck, and a great agent.

Amanda is thoroughly enjoying her new career. Her favorite part of modeling is the travel, especially if she stays on location for more than a few days. Extended time on a shoot exposes her to new environments, cultures, and most of all, people. She likes how the members of each shoot form “a small little family.”

Born in Oregon City, Oregon in 1985, Amanda enjoys all the things a typical teenager does. She spends her spare time listening to music, watching television, shopping, or hanging out with her friends at the latest hot spots. If she wasn’t modeling, she says she’d probably be looking for her first part time job at a local department store.

It’s a rare occasion when someone recognizes Amanda and asks for her autograph. After the GUESS? Santa Fe campaign debuts, we expect all of that will change.


Who are your heroes? Why?
My biggest hero is my mother. She helps make me who I am. We are extremely close and I rely on her for her wisdom about life. I also admire people who are goodhearted and achieve their goals, no matter who they are.

What was the craziest or most embarrassing thing to ever happen on a shoot?
Modeling itself is crazy! You could find yourself wearing 6” high heels and hiking up a mountain or in the ocean in a tiny bikini in 32° weather. It’s a great job, but it can be pretty insane.

What do you do to keep fit?
I have a gym membership and try to workout 2-3 times a week. Becoming a model has made me watch what I eat, but not so much that I can’t have a slice of chocolate cake every now and then!

Any good beauty secrets?
As far as beauty secrets, I do have a little trick to make my straight hair very curly. I spray my hair ‘til it’s damp with conditioner, then (depending on how curly I want it) I’ll take thin or thick sections of hair and roll them around Q-tips and fasten them with clips. I let it dry, and by the time I take it down, my hair is VERY curly.

What were the best and the worst modeling experiences you’ve had?
My favorite shoot would have to be the GUESS? shoot! Everyone was so great, and the modeling was fun. I enjoyed working in Japan, but it was a little more difficult because I had to overcome the language barrier.