Amanda Merrill
For New Hampshire Senate
Biography
I have been here in southeastern New Hampshire for most of my life. The Merrills moved to South Hampton from the bordering town of Amesbury, Massachusetts when I was in the fourth grade. In South Hampton, I had the rare experience of going to a three-room eight-grade school. I got the political bug during my high school years in Hampton, fighting what at the time seemed like outrageous dress code restrictions as a student councilor and serving as the NH chair of Youth for McCarthy (presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy, that is).
My NH-grown education continued with a B.A. from UNH and a Ph.D. from Dartmouth. After teaching for a couple of years at a state university in Massachusetts, I was pleased to return to Durham, where my husband Ken Fuld started a UNH teaching career that spanned almost 30 years; he now serves as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. I shifted gears to a research and conference-planning job with the Forest Service and we started a family. Our son Sam is now a baseball player with the Chicago Cubs organization. He and his wife Sarah have a 6-month old son, whom we of course believe to be the most wonderful baby in the world! Our daughter Anna recently completed her undergraduate studies, took a cross-country road trip, and is now looking for that first post-college job.
In 1988 a high school friend serving in the NH Legislature called to say I should think about running. I took him up on his suggestion and ended up serving in the House of Representatives for five terms. Over the course of my ten years in the House, I was prime sponsor of successful legislation addressing energy planning, hazardous and solid waste policy, land conservation, and ethics guidelines; I also worked on legislation setting the stage for statewide kindergarten and for the comprehensive definition of an adequate education.
After my time in the House, I worked as policy director of a non-profit citizens group, program associate in the UNH undergraduate research program, interim director of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, and policy staff member for the NH House Majority caucus. I was a founding board member of the Granite State Conservation Voters.
Serving in the Senate these past two sessions has reminded me of the satisfaction I find in being a part of the legislative process and made me more acutely aware of the challenges that face us here in District 21 and across the state. I look forward to having the opportunity to continue my work.
