Why We Trust Amanda Edwards for Chair
Amanda is a leader who listen & who delivers on her promises. Amanda launched her first campaign in 2018, to restore Trust and Accountability after the arrests of County staff on fraud charges. Amanda successfully advocated for adopting county policies to increase transparency and prevent fraud, prevent nepotism, and codify employee conflict of interest rules. Since 2022, Amanda has lead on real solutions for our economy, public education, our environment, and our emergency services.
20+ Years of Community Service in Buncombe County. Amanda is the Executive Director of the A-B Tech Foundation, which raises scholarship funds for community college students. Amanda is the past Executive Director of the Western North Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the past Executive Director of the Literacy Council. Read Amanda’s campaign announcement.
Read what your neighbors throughout Buncombe County are saying about Amanda Edwards for Chair of the County Commission
Amanda Edwards’ Record and Vision on Issues including
Economy. Education. Environment. Emergency Services.
Economy
(Higher Wages, Sustainable Industries, Affordable Housing, Broadband Internet)
“As Commissioner and throughout my career I’ve worked hand-in-hand with our community to reimagine and meaningfully improve how we respond to people who are in need, who are chronically underserved, and who are marginalized.” – Commissioner Amanda Edwards
Amanda is the Executive Director of the A-B Tech Foundation, which raises scholarship funds for thousands of community college students in throughout Western North Carolina.
On Commission, Amanda advocated for and has committed to creating 2,000 new affordable homes by 2030. Amanda advocated for and supported the recent bonds for affordable housing.
Amanda has supported Commissioner Terri Wells outstanding advocacy for reliable broadband internet in rural areas.
Amanda has advocated for living wages and “above living wage” pay, and advocates for more investment in apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeships in skilled trades lead to high-wage careers and enable people to start their own businesses. A-B Tech offers apprenticeship programs and training in advanced manufacturing skills required by high-wage local employers.
Amanda is a member of the inaugural Hunt Institute State Policy Fellows, which is composed of select elected leaders from throughout the state who are working to improve local economies.
Education
(Early Childhood, K-12 & Adult Education)
Amanda has served as a consistent force in the community and on commission for early childhood through adult education since she worked as the Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Buncombe County.
Amanda helped craft and voted for all our anti-discrimination ordinances. Amanda recognizes that safety and inclusion are human rights in all settings, especially public schools and public life.
Amanda has consistently voted for supplemental pay for Buncombe County and Asheville City Schools teachers and staff.
Amanda’s mother was a public school kindergarten teacher. Amanda is married to Derek Edwards, a longtime public school educator in Asheville. The couple met on their first day as students at UNC-Asheville. Amanda graduated from UNC-A and earned a Master’s in Public Administration from UT-Knoxville.
Environment
(Renewable Energy, Land, Farm & Water Quality Conservation)
Growing up deep in the Appalachian Mountains shaped Amanda into a lifelong advocate for people, our beautiful mountains, and our vital natural resources.
Amanda advocated for adopting a fiscally responsible plan to achieve 100% renewable energy for county operations by 2030 and for the entire community by 2042. Amanda has supported outgoing Commission Chair Brownie Newman’s outstanding advocacy for renewable energy.
Amanda advocated for and voted in favor of the recent open space bonds to conserve land in Buncombe County.
Amanda has supported and voted for policies to preserve farmland and forests. Amanda has supported the creation of Buncombe County’s first state park, Pisgah View State Park in Candler.
Amanda voted to install solar on the rooftops of county government buildings, which will save millions in taxpayer money and reduce carbon emissions.
In 2018 and again in 2022, the Sierra Club endorsed Amanda’s winning campaigns for County Commission.
Emergency Services
(Taking Care of Each Other, Police, Fire, EMS, 911, Disaster Response)
Amanda’s experience with emergency services dates to her years leading our regional American Red Cross, which coordinates with local and federal agencies to provide disaster relief.
Amanda was an early proponent of the Community Paramedicine Program, advocating for its pilot program and its expansion. The Program dispatches specially trained medical professionals to medical and behavioral health emergencies including opioid overdoses and mental health calls.
In our county budgets, Amanda prioritized increasing EMS staffing and supported consolidating 911 centers to increase effectiveness.
Learn more about Amanda’s service by reading her campaign announcement.
Vote to Elect Amanda Edwards as Commission Chair. General Election November 5, 2024.
Trusted Leadership When We Need it Most
“I am Amanda Edwards. I ask for your vote in 2024 to serve you as the next Chair of our County Commission.
We’ve had successes, yet there is more to do. We have hard-working people who aren’t finding good-paying career-track jobs, who are struggling to afford rent or mortgages, and who are simultaneously caring for their children, parents, and neighbors.
These kitchen table issues are my issues. I’m here especially for people who are feeling walked over and pushed out.”
About Commissioner Amanda Edwards’ Values
Accountability. Family. Respect. Collaboration.
20+ years of transparent, Accountable leadership
Resume
Elected County Commissioner, 2022
Elected County Commissioner, 2018
Executive Director of the A-B Tech Foundation, 2016-present
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), 2015-present
Past Executive Director of the Western North Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross
Past Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Asheville and Buncombe County
Past Board Member, YWCA of Asheville
Dedicated to her family and yours
Family life and respect for all families is key to who Amanda is.
Amanda and her husband Derek live with their teenage son, family dog, cat, and a brood of chickens at their rural Weaverville home.
The family enjoys visiting national parks together on family vacations. They also attend church, high school sports, and Tennessee Vols football games together.
Amanda is an avid cyclist and hiker. She enjoys exploring our beautiful mountains.
Read more about Amanda in her campaign announcement.
Respect for all, Demonstrated Daily
Bias permeates our systems and our lives. We have to work against the unconscious bias that makes even the “best” people among us believe that a person is less capable and deserves or should settle for less because of their sex, their age, their formal education, their skin color, their politics, etc.
Amanda is committed to demonstrating respect to all—the deep, genuine respect that is necessary for our community to thrive.
Collaboration
Amanda is committed to collaboration. Amanda leads people to work beyond perceived limitations while remaining practical and outcome-driven. Her 20+ year career here is a testament to her commitment.
She believes that our differences make us stronger. When we acknowledge and embrace our differences, we can work together more effectively to accomplish more for all the people of Buncombe County.
