Amanda Dennison
Amanda Dennison is a seasoned public health and sexual health professional with over a decade of experience in government and nonprofit program design and implementation, grant writing and organizational leadership. Currently serving as the senior director of program development and innovation at the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), Amanda leads the organization’s strategic program planning and development. She spearheads federal and foundation grant applications, optimizes grants management systems and fosters collaborations with health departments, government agencies and industry partners to advance equitable and effective STI programs across the country.
Previously, as NCSD’s senior director of programs, Amanda led the organization’s programmatic efforts, managing a $6.7 million budget and launching a groundbreaking online Covid-19 contact tracing training that registered over 125,000 participants. Prior to NCSD, she led STI, HIV and Hepatitis Prevention and Surveillance Programs at the Ohio Department of Health, managing multimillion-dollar grants and statewide public health initiatives.
Amanda holds a master of nonprofit administration and leadership from Cleveland State University, a master of public health from George Washington University, and dual undergraduate degrees in anthropology and health sciences. Her passion for learning continues as she pursues a doctorate at Cleveland State University. Her research explores the collaboration between governmental public health programs and nonprofits, examining how public administration factors influence these partnerships and their impact on community health outcomes.
Amanda’s commitment to sexual and public health advocacy extends beyond her professional career; her own herpes diagnosis in 2015 further fueled her dedication to reducing stigma and improving access to care. Amanda’s leadership has been recognized with honors such as the 40 Under 40: Queer Women of Washington award from the Washington, D.C., Mayor’s Office and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Cleveland State University.
