Amanda Guarino, Managing Director of Policy and National Partnerships for the First Five Years Fund (FFYF) has over twenty-two years of experience and policy expertise in early childhood education. In her role, Ms. Guarino leads the development, execution, implementation, and evaluation of FFYF’s bipartisan policy position and coordination efforts. Additionally, she manages the organization’s partnerships and strategic collaborations with the administration, congress, coalitions, campaigns, and other national organizations to advance the best possible federal policies. Ms. Guarino joined FFYF after twelve years with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she held crucial roles at the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) managing programs and initiatives that support early childhood education and development including Head Start and Child Care. She is passionate about advancing federal policy to best meet the needs of our nation’s children and families.
Ms. Guarino holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the College of the Holy Cross and earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree in Social Work with a concentration in Administration from Columbia University in the City of New York. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and lives on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.