AFE hires Sustainabloom senior manager

American Floral Endowment (AFE) announced it has hired Amanda Solliday as senior manager of Sustainabloom, effective in January 2026.

A doctoral candidate at North Carolina State University, Solliday has supported AFE’s Sustainabloom program as a member of the research team, working with Melinda Knuth, Ph.D., and Brian Jackson, Ph.D. Through this collaborative work, she has helped shape and advance AFE’s vision of building the floriculture industry’s most trusted sustainability education and resource program.

Currently completing her Ph.D. in horticultural science, Solliday said that early in her academic career, floriculture wasn’t on her radar. It was during her doctoral work that she describes finding the field as a “coming home” moment. Raised on a farm, she was particularly drawn to the natural world and decided to major in biology and environmental studies for her undergraduate degree at Illinois Wesleyan University. When her studies took her to Cornell University for her master’s degree, Solliday found an interest in science journalism. She began her career as a biologist with the Environmental Protection Agency and later took on science communication roles in the national lab system.

In her new role, Amanda will deepen Sustainabloom’s educational resources, including guides, webinars, templates and case studies. She also intends to refine focus areas in the program and strengthen global partnerships.

Photo courtesy of AFE.