Amanda L. Wintersieck, Ph.D., is an associate professor of political science and Director of the Institute for Democracy, Pluralism and Community Empowerment at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research interests lie in political behavior and political communication. Specifically, she is interested in the effects of political campaigns on voters’ evaluations of candidates, on the role the media plays in citizen’s vote choice and the conditions that advantage a candidate’s campaign. Her current research focuses on the role of news media and the impact of the electoral context in political campaigns.

Her work has appeared in a variety of scholarly journals including Political Communication; American Politics Research; Politics, Groups, & Identities; Political Research Quarterly; and The Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review.

In addition to her role as director of IDPCE, Dr. Wintersieck serves as the president of SPSA Women for the Southern Political Science Association and she is the current secretary of the American Political Science Association’s Civic Engagement Section.