Write In Amanda Allen for State Rep

Why I’m Running

For many years I was a girl scout, and a core value I have from that experience was to leave a place better than I found it. I'm running to leave the world a better place for my children and yours.

I met my husband Zach right out of college, when we were both running group homes for adults with developmental disabilities. We bonded over a shared commitment to showing up for the things that are important to us.  Not only do we have parallel careers in nonprofit and healthcare related work, we are both dedicated to suppotting our commiunity.  He was elected to the Peterborough Recreation Committee where he serves as Secretary, and is the Treasurer for Monadock Peer Supports.  I am on the board for Monadnock Area Transition Shelter in addition to being on the Peterborough Affordable Housing Committee and acting as the chairperson for the Peterborough Inclusive Community Committee.

For over a decade, I’ve worked in nonprofit healthcare: supervising case managers, working with high-risk Medicaid clients, and helping people stay in their communities. That work showed me firsthand how policy can determine whether someone gets to live in the community and lead a full, rich life.  In 2020, during COVID-19 lockdown, and with a newborn at home I earned my MBA in Healthcare Management.  I am now working towards my Doctorate in Healthcare Administration.

Today, I serve as  Director of Provider Engagement at the Foundation for Healthy Communities. I lead a project at the intersection of healthcare innovation and economic development, tasked with putting New Hampshire at the forefront of regenerative medicine adoption.  Every day I navigate challenges related to workforce, affordable housing, healthcare access and policy.  Through my work, education and community volunteer experiences I am well-equipped to meet the issues head on in Concord.

I know what the State House can do for a community. I also know what it looks like when a community stops being the priority.

What I hear in Peterborough and Sharon

Zach and I are raising two children in Peterborough. What happens in Concord isn’t abstract to us. It decides what our schools can afford, whether young families can find a place to live, the quality and access of our healthcare, and what kind of town our children will inherit.

When I talk to neighbors, I hear the same concerns again and again: housing costs that have outrun local wages, childcare that’s as expensive as a mortgage, property taxes doing the job the state should be doing, and worry for the sustainability of our green spaces.

These are the issues that decide whether people can build—and sustain—a life here in Our Town. These should be our representatives' priorities.

Public service should be exactly that: service

What I’ll do differently

I’m running to be a representative, in the ordinary meaning of that word.

I’ll listen to everyone, including people who disagree with me. I’ll do the unglamorous work that rural districts depend on. I’ll follow the evidence and explain my votes. And I’ll treat every person in this community with dignity and respect, without exception and without needing to be persuaded that they deserve it.

Basic rights aren’t up for debate. Every person who calls Peterborough and Sharon home deserves safety, dignity, and the freedom to take part in public life. I’ll defend that—and then get back to the work this district needs: Supporting working families, expanding affordable housing options, strengthening rural healthcare access, adequately funding public schools, growing a strong local economy, protecting individual rights and dignity, and bringing practical, accountable leadership to Concord.