Amanda Pleasant joined Meridian in February 2022 as a Program Officer within the Meridian Center for Global Leadership, where she manages a variety of exchange and training programs. She most recently worked at the National Democratic Institute (NDI), where she worked the Southern and East Africa team and the Elections team on and off over the past six years, supporting the Institute’s international election observation missions and working with civil society to strengthen their election observation programs. Prior to NDI, Amanda worked in data analysis and as a field organizer for US domestic political campaigns. She holds a BA from the University of Maryland in Government and Politics and a MSc from the London School of Economics in International Relations. In her spare time, she teaches barre and enjoys traveling, running, figure skating, and coffee.