Life & Work with Amanda Sanchez of Weatherford, TX

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Sanchez.

Amanda , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in a loving home, and we were part of the working poor. My mom worked as an insurance clerk, my dad a resteraunt manager. My first job was at the age of 14, when I went to work for my dad in the resteraunt as a silverware roller; I washed napkins and rolled silverware for the servers on Friday and Saturday nights. At the age of 15, I was an expeditor in that restaurant, running a kitchen full of people much older than myself. During this time, I was also a straight A student, in band, theatre, debate, and just about every other club I could join. I was a very busy teenager. In the fall of my senior year of high school, my parents divorced, and my dad moved to California, while my mom and sister moved in with family over an hour away. In order to graduate from the school I was currently in, I moved in with a friend and her family. I graduated high school in 1998, and lived with a friend until I started my first semester of college. During my first semester of college, I decided to return to my Texas roots (I was born in Texas, but my family moved to Missouri when I was 7 years old). After the first semester, I decided to pack up everything I could into my little Ford Escort and move to Arlington. While living in Arlington, I got a job working in a daycare in Plano. This began my journey into working with children and families. I was also in a very abusive relationship with someone at this time, and had to hide the bruises and marks with lies that only I believed. Between the years of 2000-2001, I jumped between living with my abuser and living in my car. From there, I had many different jobs; from daycare worker to security guard. I also started school at KD College in Dallas, Texas, where I earned my AA in Acting Performance in 2001. In 2002, I started my journey in the non-profit realm, by becoming an Early Head Start teacher for a program in Fort Worth. While employed there, I was promoted from EHS teacher, to Family Advocate, then a Center Director. I finally left my abuser in 2004. I left the program in 2007, and began working for the Presbyterian Night Shelter in Fort Worth, first as a child advocate, then as a housing case manager. In 2012, I started working for MHMR Tarrant County, first in the veteran’s assistance program, then as a Consumer Benefits Specialist in a clinic. As you can see, I’ve always had a passion for helping people. In 2011, I became a “professional” actress; I use that term lightly because although I had an agent and had the opportunity to do commercials, film and television, I would be shocked if anyone recognized me for that! I also was very involved in the community theatre scene in DFW, and taught classes at CATS Theatre School in Arlington. During this time period, I became very involved in church, and taught Bible studies, and Celebrate Recovery. In 2010, I took a step away from God, because I thought I knew my life better than He did. I met someone, and our relationship was great at first, but then the emotional abuse and gaslighting started after about a year. This relationship sent me into a deep, deep depression and I was in a very dark place for a few years. I still went to work, did all the things, but inside I was so depressed. In 2012, I left that relationship. A few weeks after, I met this guy, Peter. Let me preface this by saying I was not a person who wanted to get married or have children; I was happy being single for the most part, especially since most of my long-term relationships were absolutely horrible. When I met Peter, on our first date, as soon as I saw him my first thought was ‘Oh crap. He’s either going to be my best friend, or we are getting married”. Welp, we got married in 2014, and I am so thankful God brought us together! We had our son in 2017, and things were great! In 2018, when our son was about 16 months old, I noticed things were different with him; one thing I can say about working in a Head Start Program, is they really teach you how to spot milestones, and I saw that our son was not meeting some of them. I went to his doctor and told him I thought Mathias (our son), was autistic. He told me Mathias would grow out of it. I persisted, because in my mama heart, I knew something was different. We received services through Early Childhood Intervention for speech, and they helped us get into the Child Study Center for evaluation. Mathias was diagnosed with autism at about 20 months old. I am forever grateful to Head Start f0r the training, and for ECI for believing me. In 2019, we decided our little home in Tarrant County was getting too small for us, so we sold it and moved to Weatherford. During this time, I decided to go back to school (after 20 years) to earn my Bachelor’s in Psychology, through Capella University online. In March of 2020, I decided to leave the job I had at that time and apply with Cornerstone Community Action Agency. I originally applied for the Education Manager position, through their Head Start grant, but during the interview, the directors told me they had a different position for me, as a center director at their Mineral Wells location. I wasn’t super enthusiastic, but I knew I could do it, so I said yes. And boy, am I glad I did! I started April 6, 2020, right when the world shut down for the pandemic. My first staff meeting with my new group was via Zoom! Talk about a learning curve! I completed my Bachelor’s in May 2020. My son was thriving and about to finish his time with ECI. My husband, who is a US Army Veteran, was able to retire and became the stay at home dad. Whyen our son was three years old, he started in Head Start, and he was thriving! Although I loved being a center director, I was kind of looking to expand my horizions, so I applied to receive my teaching degree, and started working on the certification. I was open and honest with my direct supervisor and our executive director about it, and they were very encouraging. In October of 2021, Hanna (Cornerstone’s Executive Director) reached out to me and asked if I had thought about applying for a position that had become available in our Weatherford office, as a Parent/Family/Community Engagement and Enrollment Manager for our Head Start program. I immediately said “Nope, because you have to deal with budgets, and I don’t do well with that”. She assured me that was not a huge part of that position, so I said ok, I’ll apply. Best. Decision. Ever! This is the position I hold now, and I have the priviledge and honor of helping families learn to advocate for themselves, get the resources they need, and become the best version of themselves they can be. In 2022, my husband and I hit a rough spot, and this helped us turn our lives back to God, and we started attending church again. Also in 2022, I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, at the age of 43. We became youth leaders in 2024. Our son was doing great in school, and was reading by the age of four. In 2023, a dear friend urged me to become credintialed through the University of Connecticut as a Family Development Creditintial Instructor, so I did. This same friend also urged me to get my master’s degree, to which I replied, nope, I’m too old and tired to go to school. If you haven’t picked up on this pattern, everytime I said nope or didn’t want to do something, God had different plans. In 2025, I was led to start earning my master’s degree, and I prayed “Lord, if this is what you want, then You are going to have to make a way for it, because we don’t have the money”. A few hours later, I found out that since my husband is a veteran, I am entitled to education benefits. Long story long, I am now working on my Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy, and by the grace of God, I am going without a dime from my own pocket. So here I am, a person who came from divorced parents, homeless for different parts of my life, depressed and broken, to now a married woman for the past 11 years, a proud mom to an eight year old boy, youth leader, earning my master’s to become a marriage and family therapist, and working for an organization that changes lives. I thank God for not giving up on me, and my goal in life is to show others that God hasn’t given up on them either.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
abusive relationships, my parents divorced when I was a senior in high school, homeless for a while, depression

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I currently change lives as a Parent/Family/Community Engagement Manager with Cornerstone Community Action Agency’s Head Start program. I specialize in parent engagement, teaching parenting skills, parent advocacy, teaching Family Advocates in our program and other programs how to use a strengths based approach when working with families.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
my relationship with Jesus Christ. without Him, I would be nothing. I love people, and I love advocating for those who feel like they do not have a voice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cornerstonecaa.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonecaa