To anyone who listens to the “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast, Amanda Doyle is best known as “Sister”. She was given this term of endearment by her sister, the renowned writer and advocate, Glennon Doyle. Likewise, Amanda calls Glennon “Sister” as well.
Today, Amanda Flaherty Doyle is an attorney, a human rights advocate, a mom, a wife, Glennon Doyle’s business manager, and the VP and General Counsel of the Together Rising Board of Directors. Meaning, she manages to keep busy!
In this article, we will explore Amanda’s education, interests, position as Glennon’s business partner, and her role as a co-host on the wildly popular “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast. Let’s dive in.
Amanda “Sister” Doyle: Championing Human Rights
Amanda Doyle and her older sister, Glennon Doyle, grew up in Falls Church, Virginia. After coming of age, Amanda went to college at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. She then attended law school at University of Virginia School of Law.
After completing her law school education, she worked at the law firm, Hogan & Hartson LLP. Amanda also worked as a legal fellow with International Justice Mission, an organization dedicated to protecting the poor from violence in the developing world.
In her role as a legal fellow, Amanda traveled to several countries, where she helped train local lawyers, law enforcement officers, and community leaders to combat human trafficking and other forms of violence.
Today, Amanda Doyle is the Head of Staff for Glennon Doyle and the Vice President and General Counsel of the Together Rising Board of Directors. Together Rising is all-woman run non-profit organization that crowdsources funding to support for women, families, and children in crisis. To date, it has raised an astounding $45 million in small increments from day-to-day people.
Of course, Amanda Doyle is also the co-host of the “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast, which she hosts with her sister Glennon and sister-in-law Abby Wambach.
Amanda’s Legal Career: Advocating for Justice and Empowerment
Before joining Glennon Doyle’s team, Amanda worked as an attorney who advocated for justice on behalf of women and children. Unsurprisingly, her work with International Justice Mission (mentioned above) was instrumental in the successful prosecution of several high-profile human trafficking cases and helped many people to reclaim their lives.
Amanda’s legal career is a testament to her dedication to help others and her commitment to reduce gender-based violence and human trafficking.
Today, as Vice President and General Counsel of the Together Rising Board of Directors she has continued that mission, as the non-profit supports many of these same causes.
Amanda Doyle’s Personality
If you’ve ever listened to the “We Can Do Hard Things Podcast“, you know that “Sister” is a linear thinker, loves spreadsheets, thinks in lists, and is the “organized” one of the two sisters. She’s also an action-oriented “doer” who is always on the move.
Unsurprisingly, it’s the “yin and yang” of the Doyle Sisters that makes the podcast so much fun and makes their business alliance make tremendous sense.
Amanda’s sister, Glennon, leans toward creativity and feeling, while Amanda leans toward analyzing and doing. Similar to Glennon, Amanda has shared that she has experienced bulimia at points during her life, particularly during college and law school.
As Amanda has opened up about on the “pod”, she went through a divorce before meeting her present husband, John, with whom she has two wonderful and neuro-divergent kids. They live together in Northern Virginia outside of Washington, DC.
Amanda’s Enneagram Number is a three, which makes her an “Achiever”. Achievers on the Enneagram scale have a desire to be significant, which means they tend to show up as confident, ambitious and goal-oriented people. With her extensive list of accomplishments to date, Amanda Doyle definitely fits this description.
If you want to learn more about Amanda’s interpretation of her Enneagram type, head over and give Episode 89 (“Enneagram: What does your number say about you?“) a listen.
Amanda Doyle also has a love of solo travel, which is a passion that I also share!
At the time of this writing, she is 43 years old, while her older sister, Glennon Doyle, is 46.
The “We Can Do Hard Things” Podcast…and Movement
Amanda’s life is a testament to the power of determination. She has faced challenges in her life, like an eating disorder, divorce, and working as a lawyer under challenging and stressful conditions, but she has embraced them and thrived.
On the “We Can Do Hard Things“ podcast, Amanda Doyle—along with her sister Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach—share their stories and challenges, including how they approach parenting, navigating the workforce, and dealing with the world at large.
They also incorporate voice messages from their “pod squad” who call in to share funny stories and practical tips too.
The podcast regularly brings on guests to interview, who range from activists, to thought leaders, comedians, politicians, pro athletes, and beyond. Most of the guests are pretty well known names, like Kamala Harris, Reese Witherspoon, and Jane Fonda, for example.
From time to time, there are other folks that get featured too, like authors, poets, and therapists.
Most importantly, the “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast is not a self-help program, because it does not purport to provide answers. Rather, it offers compassion, inspiration, humor, and perhaps, a few new ways to think about life.
What We Can Learn from Amanda Doyle
There are many lessons we can learn from Amanda’s story, but perhaps the most important is this: no matter what challenges we face in life, “We can do hard things.”
If I had to summarize Amanda, she’s pretty much a badass who can handle anything. Of course, this means she also tends to have a lot on her shoulders, but seriously, who wouldn’t want “Sister” in their life? I definitely would!
Have you listened to the “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast? If so, let me know your favorite episodes in comments below.
Amanda, if you read this article, drop me a note because I live in Northern VA too and it’d be great to grab a coffee!