Amanda Blackwood
President & CEO
Never one to shy away from the hardest challenges, Amanda Blackwood is a catalyst for change and exponential impact wherever she goes.
Beginning with her first job at 13 in rural Kansas where she grew up, she has blazed a resilient, nontraditional, entrepreneurial 25+ year career spanning the public, private and nonprofit sectors as a top tier consultant, highly sought after public speaker, and respected C-Suite executive.
Since 2018, Amanda has served as the nationally award-winning President and CEO of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (Metro Chamber). As the first full-time female President and CEO in the 128+ year history of the organization, her five years of leadership have created record breaking performance financially, politically, reputationally and culturally within her own organization as well as over $250 Million dollars in direct economic impact to the region she represents, an 87% win rate for her PAC, and the successful adoption of Measure O by the voters of Sacramento – the boldest and most aggressive response to the challenge of homelessness in the State of California.
As a senior fellow of both the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program & American Leadership Forum she is dedicated to intentional growth, candid dialog, and ensuring that those who want to build a better future have a seat at the table. Her commitment to industry leading results while embracing authentic DEI has resulted in the first ever all female C-Suite (or she suite!) in her organization and 50%+ female representation on the governing boards of the Metro Chamber, Metro Chamber Foundation, and the MetroPAC for the first time in history.
For almost a decade, Amanda has also been the Managing Partner of OE Consulting Group, an organizational effectiveness consulting firm that works with public, private, and nonprofit clients who seek to tackle the most challenging problems through building intentional culture, effective strategic plans, and laser focused accountability to results. Her candid and authentic approach has taken communities, companies, and campaigns to next level impacts that continue to flourish long after her engagement has ended.
Always good with numbers and fascinated by the ability to grow and scale businesses using technology, industry disruption, and human centered design, Amanda served for almost four years as the Chief Development Officer of Elevation Entertainment, a California card room owner/operator, successfully empowering a 700+ diverse statewide workforce to achieve best in class culture and strong relationships in community while hitting record level revenue goals.
Prior to that she served as Chief Financial Officer for Folsom Asset Management for over six years, working with a team of other young women and a custom tech solution to create, scale, fund and manage a residential and commercial real estate fund valued at over $100M in assets in three markets and 13 active partnerships all while winning “The Best Place to Work Award” from the Sacramento Business Journal and having two little girls along the way.
Amanda has a long history of serving on boards and commissions including the CCC100 at the US Chamber of Commerce and is often recruited to bring her unique blend of data and metrics with the catalytic ability to connect and motivate people to achieve what others believe is not possible. She is exceptionally well networked in the business and political community of California and seeks to align strategic partnerships wherever possible.
Amanda is highly decorated in her field winning the “2023 National 40 Under 40 Economic Developer of the Year Award”; Jorgenson Consulting/DCI Partners, “2013 & 2022 Best Place to Work Award”, “2020 Most Admired CEO Award”, “2020 Women That Mean Business Award”; Sacramento Business Journal, “2020 National 40 Under 40 Executives”; Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and others.
Amanda’s passion, tenacity, and drive extends beyond the professional. As a wife and mom to two young girls, Amanda’s personal life intentionally embodies the perseverance, strength, and inspiration it takes to create authentic and genuine change. Coupled with her enthusiasm to debate the tough policy issues facing the region, openly discussing the reality of mental health challenges, or calling out the disfunction of a status quo approach in a rapidly changing world – all while enjoying a great glass of bourbon – Amanda doesn’t shy away from much.
Whether working with communities to improve the wealth gaps, coaching a company through a turbulent merger, or inspiring thousands of people to let go of fear and build a life by design – Amanda is an unmuted champion for leaving this world better than we found it. And isn’t that what it’s all about?