Amanda Solliday named senior manager of Sustainabloom

Amanda Solliday will officially join the American Floral Endowment team as the senior manager of  Sustainabloom 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 Drs. Melinda Knuth and Brian Jackson.

"I love taking what we do as researchers and making that accessible to everyone," she said. "It wasn’t just a cool idea — it was industry-driven. People really wanted this information to shape sustainable progress. That makes all the difference."

"Currently completing her Ph.D. in horticultural science, Amanda admits 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," Sustainabloom said in a news release. "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, Amanda 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, Solliday will deepen Sustainabloom’s educational resources, including guides, webinars, templates and case studies.

"Her hope for Sustainabloom’s future is that it is a resource that every industry member engages with in some meaningful way," Sustainabloom said. "She will work with industry members to implement these resources for sustainability efforts, as well as manage the activities and fundraising for the program. She also intends to refine focus areas in the program and strengthen global partnerships."

"Staying flexible and keeping the information fresh is essential," she said. "Sustainability is a marathon, not a sprint. My goal is for us to continue building momentum year after year."

Solliday plans to develop metrics that can track industry-wide progress and update the materials and resources provided by Sustainabloom so that are relevant and current in a rapidly evolving field. She also plans to work more closely with industry partners as Sustainabloom grows, expand research, develop new resources and strengthen engagement across the supply chain.

"Amanda has been central to Sustainabloom’s development, and we’re excited to welcome her in a full-time leadership role," said AFE Executive Director Debi Chedester. "As we move into the next phase of implementation, broader industry education and sharing impact stories, her expertise will help us expand the program’s resources and deepen its impact."