Amanda Solliday will officially join the American Floral Endowment (AFE) team as the Senior Manager of Sustainabloom in January 2026.
A doctoral candidate at North Carolina State University, Amanda (pictured right) has supported AFE's
© American Floral Endowment Sustainabloom program as a member of the research team working with Drs. Melinda Knuth and Brian Jackson. Through this collaborative work, she has helped shape and advance AFE's vision of building the floriculture industry's most trusted sustainability education and resource program.
"I love taking what we do as researchers and making that accessible to everyone," she said, noting that when she first heard about the idea of Sustainabloom, the program felt immediately appealing as a way to drive long-term, meaningful change. As just a proposal, she could already see the tremendous commitment that industry members had for sustainability. "It wasn't just a cool idea – it was industry-driven. People really wanted this information to shape sustainable progress. That makes all the difference."
Currently completing her Ph.D. in horticultural science, Amanda admits that early in her academic career, floriculture wasn't on her radar. It was during her doctoral work that she describes finding the field as a "coming home" moment. Raised on a farm, she was particularly drawn to the natural world and decided to major in biology and environmental studies for her undergraduate degree at Illinois Wesleyan University. When her studies took her to Cornell University for her master's degree, Amanda found an interest in science journalism. She began her career as a biologist with the Environmental Protection Agency and later took on science communication roles in the national lab system.
© Becky Kirkland, NCSU
In her new role, Amanda will deepen Sustainabloom's educational resources, including guides, webinars, templates and case studies. Her hope for Sustainabloom's future is that it is a resource that every industry member engages with in some meaningful way. She will work with industry members to implement these resources for sustainability efforts, as well as manage the activities and fundraising for the program. She also intends to refine focus areas in the program and strengthen global partnerships.
"Staying flexible and keeping the information fresh is essential," she said. "Sustainability is a marathon, not a sprint. My goal is for us to continue building momentum, year after year."
"Amanda has been central to Sustainabloom's development, and we're excited to welcome her in a full-time leadership role," said Debi Chedester, AFE Executive Director. "As we move into the next phase of implementation, broader industry education, and sharing impact stories, her expertise will help us expand the program's resources and deepen its impact."
Amanda said she is eager to work more closely with industry partners as Sustainabloom grows. She looks forward to expanding research, developing new resources, and strengthening engagement across the supply chain.
American Floral Endowment
Tel.: +1 (703) 838-5211
[email protected]
www.endowment.org
Sustainabloom
sustainabloom.org
