Faculty Spotlight: Amanda Ford LCSW

Amanda Ford is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with extensive experience in mental health counseling and therapeutic practices. She is currently an adjunct professor in the Social Work Department at Utah State University (USU).

In addition to her academic position, Professor Ford is committed to supporting the healing process of individuals and families through trauma-informed yoga, a practice she teaches at a residential treatment center. Her multifaceted approach to therapy combines mindfulness practices with evidence-based strategies to help clients heal, build stronger relationships, and manage life’s challenges in a holistic manner.

In the fall, Professor Ford will officially join the Heravi Peace Institute. In this role, she will be teaching Introduction to Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation (PI 1010), a foundational course designed to introduce students to the principles and practices of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and transformation. Through Connect, her class will be offered to students across all USU campuses, reaching a broad and diverse group of learners.

Left to right: Chad Ford, Amanda ford, kai Li Tullis, Nora Tavana and USU alumnus Nate Alder at the 2025 Utah Council on Conflict Resolution Symposium at University of Utah

Additionally, Professor Ford will serve as the faculty advisor for the inaugural Heravi Peace Institute Student Board. Drawing from her vast experience in student engagement, she will guide and mentor the board, helping to shape its initiatives and providing insight into student leadership and participation. Her role will be instrumental in fostering an environment where students can thrive, collaborate, and contribute to the Institute’s mission of peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

Outside of her professional work, Amanda enjoys spending time with her partner and children. She finds joy in nature, especially through hiking and being near water. Raised in the Pacific Northwest and having spent several years in Hawaiʻi, she has a deep appreciation for the outdoors and a lasting love for the National Parks.

Since moving to Utah, Amanda has enjoyed exploring new places and has found Logan to be both beautiful and welcoming. She also maintains a personal mindfulness and spiritual practice, shaped in part by her time studying at an ashram on the Big Island and at Plum Village in France. Additionally, Amanda has a love for languages and cultures, sparked by learning Vietnamese as a young adult. These practices and experiences inform her work and reflect her commitment to presence, connection, and peacebuilding