# Amanda Kinney > Engineering Manager, Digital Backend Location: Newport Beach, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/amandakinney Engineering Manager at Sweetgreen, and a passionate advocate for digital accessibility, disability rights, and mental health awareness. My path has been unconventional. I started as an academic researcher and university instructor, studying the intersection of social media, popular culture, and disability studies — then made a deliberate pivot into software engineering, drawn by its power to shape new realities rather than just study them. Today I bring to engineering teams with the same intention I brought to the classroom: challenge assumptions, build inclusively, and never stop learning. At Sweetgreen, I'm focused on growing high-performing teams and delivering technology that makes a real impact. Outside of work, I'm a proud mother, committed to my own personal health journey, and active in the tech community. My driving philosophy: Challenge Reality. Don't be a passive observer — engage critically, build inclusively, and help create a more accessible world. ## Work Experience ### Engineering Manager, Digital Backend @ sweetgreen Jan 2026 – Present ### Senior Software Engineer @ sweetgreen Jan 2023 – Jan 2026 ### Co-Lead of EnableSG - Disability and Mental Illness Employee Resource Group @ sweetgreen Jan 2021 – Jan 2024 ### Software Engineer @ sweetgreen Jan 2020 – Jan 2023 ### Substitute Instructor @ Trilogy Education Jan 2019 – Jan 2021 | Irvine, Ca ### Software Engineer @ Acorns Jan 2020 – Jan 2020 | Irvine, California ### Associate Software Engineer @ Acorns Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 ### Teaching Assistant @ Trilogy Education Jan 2018 – Jan 2018 | UCI Web Development Bootcamp ### Senior Tutor @ Trilogy Education Jan 2018 – Jan 2018 ### Software Developer @ Strategic Capital Advisory Services Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | Costa Mesa, Ca ### Meetup Co Organizer @ SoCal Innovators Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | Orange County, California Area Our mission is to combine an Innovator's entrepreneurial mindset with the resources available in our community and beyond. We bring Innovators together with Developers because every new enterprise has a digital component. Mentors help us better prepare for our endeavors. ### Meetup Co Organizer @ ARLA (Another Reality Los Angeles) Meetup Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | Greater Los Angeles Area ### Freelance Social Media Researcher @ Freelance Jan 2015 – Jan 2017 | Orange County, California Area As a freelance social media researcher, I would perform a social media audit's on my client's online presence and then conduct analysis of current trends and industry research to implement into their newly restructured strategy. ### Adjunct Instructor @ Dixie State University Jan 2015 – Jan 2016 | St. George, Ut Instructed English Composition courses that focused on applying qualitative research skills to critical writing techniques. As this was a general education course, my goal was to provide my students skills to successfully apply to their specific interests and career goals. Through focus on social media, pop culture, and political texts, I modeled my course after my personal objective to be an active participant in our shared culture. ### Library Clerk @ Washington County Library- Santa Clara Branch Jan 2014 – Jan 2015 In addition to specific duties related to patron management and library maintenance, I worked with coworkers in community outreach efforts and program development. Most notable was endowment of a grant given to the library system that I personally drafted and submitted. ## Education ### Web Development Immersive General Assembly Jan 2017 – Jan 2017 ### Master's Degree in Professional Communication Southern Utah University Jan 2014 – Jan 2016 ### Bachelor's Degree in English Literature California State University, Long Beach Jan 2010 – Jan 2013 ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/amandajoan --- Source: https://flows.cv/amandakinney JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/amandakinney/resume.json Last updated: 2026-03-23