Mandy Adkins was born in East Tennessee and is deeply connected to her Appalachian family, roots, and mountains. After graduating from Belmont University with a Bachelor of Social Work, Mandy moved to London to work as a hospital social worker. She later earned her Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. She spent the first ten years of her career as a social worker and in non-profits focused on international humanitarian development, predominantly in East Africa.

Mandy was first introduced to Young Life as a high school student and later served alongside her husband as a volunteer leader for 5 years. Since 2013, she has worked for Young Life – in New York City, the Belonging Office, and now as the Chief of Staff in the Office of the President. Her areas of expertise are organizational health, operations, and collaboration. Mandy and her husband Josh live in Maryville, Tennessee, with their three sons. Her interests include spending time outdoors with her family, archeology, and serving on the board of Moja Foundation.