Being helpful to others isn’t just what Amanda Burg does at work. It’s what she’s always done. Long before she became a Program Specialist at Typical Life Corporation, she was drawn to situations that called for care and connection.
As a middle school student, she gravitated toward special education classrooms where she spent time with high schoolers. She learned early on what it meant to really show up for others.
That same instinct guided Amanda’s career trajectory. After graduating high school, she realized that college wasn’t the right path and chose instead to step into the workforce. She applied to TLC to be a Direct Support Professional. That decision, made more than 16 years ago, marked the beginning of a career shaped by compassion-driven service.
Putting her heart into everything she does
Since then, Amanda has been a steady presence at TLC. While her roles have shifted from DSP to Program Manager to Program Specialist, what defines her isn’t a job title. She is known for consistently being there for people. Her work looks different now than when she started, but her position still allows her to stay closely connected to the individuals TLC serves.
TLC Director of Service Impact Allyson Gentile describes Amanda as someone who always has been fully invested in the work and the individuals TLC supports, day after day.
“When I first met her, I could tell that her heart was truly in what she does,” Allyson says. “She always shows up for our individuals. She is always an active participant in things we do with the community.”
Putting her heart into everything she does
In her current role, Amanda focuses largely on behind-the-scenes responsibilities such as documentation, compliance, and ensuring that individual support plans are followed. Even though much of her work happens off the floor of the Day Options, she never distances herself from the individuals at the center of TLC’s mission.
Amanda regularly visits homes, gets involved in Day Options activities, and makes it a point to connect with TLC’s individuals in everyday moments. She might sit down for lunch in the cafeteria or stop in to check on Day Options group activities during her workday.
“She’s someone who, when she walks through our Day Program in particular, everyone’s like, ‘Amanda! Amanda!’ People are very excited to see her, which shows the growth and relationships that she’s developed with our individuals,” Allyson says.
Impact beyond the walls of work
Outside of TLC, Amanda is a caregiver for her daughter and mother and a support system for loved ones. She’s also a preschool dance instructor who helps youngsters build motor skills and confidence. Helping others isn’t something she turns on and off; it’s a part of who she is.
To Amanda, being there for people means offering consistency and letting them know they’re not alone, especially when circumstances are difficult. She doesn’t view herself as extraordinary; in her mind, this is simply what she does and who she is. That humility is a quality that Allyson deeply admires.
“She’s not the kind of person to say, ‘Oh, I did this great thing,’ which, I think in itself shows how much that’s truly just who she is at her core,” Allyson says. “She is this really awesome, caring human that I feel like we all should strive to be.”