Amanda Bogan

Amanda Bogan, SAIS ’18 (MAIS), ’17 (Cert) Assistant Director of Development for Asia and the Middle East, School of Advanced International Studies 

Amanda Bogan, an alumna of Johns Hopkins University, earned her master’s degree from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Hopkins-Nanjing Center in 2018. She came to her current role as assistant director of development for Asia at the SAIS Washington, D.C., location when one of her Hopkins mentors encouraged her to consider a career in development. 

An international affairs student for life, Amanda is also passionate about languages. She is fluent in Chinese and is currently learning French, Korean, Spanish, and American Sign Language. 

What projects or tasks are you responsible for on a regular basis?
I’m responsible for connecting with members of the SAIS community to strengthen their relationship with the school, and creating meaningful opportunities for donors to realize the impact of their philanthropy. I also collaborate with colleagues and faculty across the university to better understand key priorities for support.  

Where did you grow up?
I grew up mostly in Chicago but also lived in Los Angeles for several years. I attended St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I then moved to China where I worked and studied for most of my 20s. I’ve enjoyed the privilege of living in different places and experiencing different cultures; Washington, D.C., is a great place to do that, too.  

What do you like most about your job?
I like learning about people, what inspires them, and what they find meaningful. The reasons for what drives someone’s philanthropy are always different and evolve over time. Partnering with donors on their philanthropy provides a unique insight on their life story and their values. 

What do you like to do when you are not working?
I recently fell in love with surfing. A friend encouraged me to try it, and I’m so glad I did. Assateague on the Maryland coast has some good surf spots! I would be stoked to connect with any DAR colleagues interested in surfing, or just connecting in general. Looking forward to getting to know more of my colleagues across the university.