20 Under 40: Amanda Stanley
Amanda supervises the League’s legal department and advocates for the interests of Kansas cities at the Kansas Legislature and regulatory bodies. This role has allowed her to strengthen cities in Kansas by providing legal guidance to elected and appointed city officials and their staff.
Amanda is a strong advocate for mentorship and development. As General Counsel, she re-started the League’s robust law clerk program which has allowed her to expose law students to local government. Amanda is responsible for supervising and mentoring two new attorneys, a paralegal and a law student. She enjoys watching them develop both their legal and networking skills. She is also passionate about encouraging and developing female leaders, hoping to start a Women in Leadership Lecture Series in the future.
Amanda credits much of her success to a “growth mindset.”
“Success doesn’t come from effortless perfection, it comes from believing that I can always grow, learn more, and get smarter.”
What’s your most used emoji?
The shrug emoji. It seems very appropriate in 2020.
What brings you joy?
The small things in life bring me joy. Having a friend bring dinner when I am sick, wearing a bright color to work when I know it will be a rough day, blaring my favorite song to boost my mood, getting drinks with friends, and anytime I am playing golf. Life can be really hard but if you only focus on the “big” things, I think you miss the actual living part.
What led you to this career?
I graduated college with a biology degree and actually attended medical school for a time, but I hated it. I quickly realized that becoming a doctor was not for me, but I was too scared to admit I had made a mistake. Then I caught a nasty case of cancer and had to take a year off of school. During my year off, I realized life was too short to hate what you do every day. I took the LSAT, dropped out of medical school, and the rest is history.
What frustrates you the most about the world?
That people seem to have stopped listening to each other. At our core, we really aren’t that different. We need to stop demonizing each other. Someone can have a different view of what our State’s future looks like and still be a “good Kansan”. If we start with the premise that we are all working toward the same goal (a better Kansas), and start listening to each other’s why, then compromise can be found. The best solutions are normally ones that meet in the middle.
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