Amanda Gillooly, Patch Staff

Amanda Gillooly is a 2002 Point Park University graduate and former reporter for The Valley Independent, The Beaver County Times and Observer-Reporter newspapers. She was also a freelance writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, www.pa2010.com and The Innocence Institute of Point Park University.

Amanda has been dubbed a "crazy cat lady" by her friends because of the three felines who share her home.

Amanda also has the distinction of being the Best Aunt in the Universe for the past nine years straight. The award, bestowed by her nephew Nicholas, 9, and her niece, Lilly Belle, 3, is on her mantle next to her Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editor's first-place award for enterprise reporting, a Pennsylvania Keystone Press second-place award for a special project, and a Pittsburgh Press Club Golden Quill award for culture writing. She was also a national finalist for an investigative reporting project she co-wrote for the Innocence Institute.

Amanda enjoys humor, cheesy horror and kung fu flicks and is a jukebox champion.