Amanda Balkhi (aka Amanda Marie Balkhi) is an American psychologist, scientific researcher and the Executive Director of the Balkhi Foundation. The Balkhi foundation funds educational projects in developing countries and provides small scholarships to college students in the USA. Balkhi is married to Syed Balkhi, the founder of WpBeginner and the man behind popular WordPress plugins and tools, such as OnptinMonsters, WPForms, and MonsterInsights.
Amanda Balkhi led the first study to assess the impact that parents’ online health information seeking has on children with Type 1 Diabetes. She also worked with the University of Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Program which sought to develop an effective and scalable model of training for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Early Life & Education
Amanda Balkhi was born and raised in South Florida. She joined the University of Florida as an undergraduate student in 2008 and left the university with a PhD in 2016.
From 2008 to 2011, Balkhi studied for a Bachelor’s of Science degree majoring in psychology. During this period, Balkhi was associated with the Psychology Club at the university. She was also a founder of the University of Florida Journal of
Balkhi continued her education in the University of Florida’s psychology department, and in 2016, completed a PhD in clinical psychology. Her PhD dissertation was titled:Â Â
Academic Career
Balkhi holds a doctorate degree in Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology from the University of Florida.
Balkhi has published scientific articles in several prestigious journals on topics such as childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder, exposure therapy, telehealth, diabetes management, patient satisfaction, and sleep disorder. Balkhi has taught courses such as medical bioethics, diseases of eating, and principles of bioethics.
Balkhi has presented papers at several international conferences, including at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, the American Psychological Association Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., and the 2020 meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).
From 2014 to 2016, Balkhi was a member of the Blended Learning Task Force at the College of Public Health and Health Professions, the University of Florida. Since 2021, she is a member of the Psychology Advisory Board at the University of Florida’s psychology department.
Work at the Balkhi Foundation
Balkhi severs as a Board Member and the Executive Director of the Balkhi Foundation. A passionate advocate for child health and well-being, Balkhi’s academic interests are also reflected in her work at the Balkhi Foundation.
Balkhi attended an underfunded Title I school in Florida but, nonetheless, was able to excel in her future academic pursuits. Her work at the Balkhi Foundation also revolves around supporting educational projects that benefit students from low-income families and regions.
The Balkhi Foundation supports educational organisations and grants scholarships to college students in the USA. It has also aided the construction of schools in developing countries, particularly in Guatemala and Cambodia.
Personal Life
Amanda Balkhi is married to online entrepreneur Syed Balkhi. Syed, like Amanda, attended the University of Florida, where the two had met.
The couple has a son, Solomon Balkhi.
She also worked as a writer in List25, an entertainment website established by her husband, Syed Balkhi and his former roommate, David Pegg, in 2011.
