Julia Keister

Amanda Dempsey, Ed.D.

Amanda Dempsey, Ed.D. is the early college supervisor for the Young Scholars Academy at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), an early college program empowering students to pursue higher education by enrolling as full-time college students in their final two years of high school. Throughout her 13 years in education, Amanda has focused on the development of student agency by building relationships with students, families, and their communities.

Amanda’s recent work has revolved around expanding the Young Scholars Academy to a regional program. She strongly believes in the collective impact of effective collaboration between educational stakeholders and works with both NKU and the Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services to increase access and support for early college initiatives. A first-generation college graduate, Amanda’s passion is helping fellow first-generation students navigate the higher education landscape. She holds a doctorate in education from NKU in Educational Leadership and was a 2019 Golden Apple award recipient from the Northern Kentucky Education Council.

Outside the classroom, Amanda’s life revolves around her family, including her husband of 12 years, Geoff; their two sons, Ian and Crosby; and their intensely affectionate Labrador retrievers, Lulu and Henry. Their family resides in Union, Kentucky.

“Any honor that I achieve is truly the result of teamwork and collaboration, and I can’t say thank you enough to my team,” said Amanda. “My mentor, Dr. Francis O’Hara, who always helps me move forward. Dr. Henry Webb, thank you for your mentorship, innovation, and belief in our team. Dr. Winona Landis, thank you for always being my co-creator of experiences for those students we serve. Thanks to my mom, Beth Owens, for always being my role model for female leadership, and to the guys at my house: Geoff, Ian, and Crosby—being your wife and mom will always be the best role I have.”