Amanda Cervantes joined the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in 2024 and is the Business Investment Manager for the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance (SVRA). She supports a robust group of local economic developers in marketing the Southern Virginia region and is responsible for economic development activities related to business recruitment and existing business expansion.A licensed architect, Cervantes brings a decade of design experience to her role with SVRA. Before joining IALR, Cervantes was a Project Manager with Dewberry, where she managed commercial, educational, and industrial projects from conception through completion. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech.Cervantes is passionate about community engagement and was named a 2021 Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce Professional and Community Engagement award recipient. She has held local, state, and national leadership positions for various American Institute of Architects boards and committees. Cervantes currently serves with several civic organizations, including Danville After Hours Rotary, the Danville Neighborhood Development Corporation, and Haven of the Dan River Region.