Former middle school teacher Amy Kennedy of New Jersey is a passionate advocate for programs that promote mental health wellness. Photo Credit: New Jersey Globe

There are many fine classroom teachers who also work diligently to promote causes that improve the lives of others. One of these is Amy Kennedy, a middle school teacher from New Jersey who is a passionate advocate for programs that promote mental health wellness.

Amy was born Amy Savell on Nov. 20, 1978, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She is the daughter of two parents who were teachers. Amy was raised in nearby suburbs Pleasantville and Absecon, where she attended Holy Spirit High School. After her graduation in 1997, Amy earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Pennsylvania State University. Later she earned a Master’s degree in Environmental Education fro Nova Southeastern University. Once she earned her degrees, Amy accepted a teaching position with Northfield Community Schools. She taught history at the middle school level for more than a decade.

In 2011, Amy married former US Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy. The wedding took place at the Kennedy family compound in Hyanisport, Massachusetts, in a ceremony officiated by Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

After her husband founded the Kennedy Forum, a mental health advocacy group, Amy served the organization as the Education Director. There she works on establishing partnerships and collaborations that emphasize evidence-based research and programming to facilitate policy changes in education and mental health. In addition to her work at the Kennedy Forum, Amy serves on the boards of Mental Health America, a leading national advocacy organization, and Parity.org, which promotes gender equality at the highest levels of business. She is a member to the advisory board of Interaxon, a mental health technology company; Set To Go, a program affiliated with the JED Foundation that helps teenagers transition from high school to college; and Brain Futures, an organization that promotes effective applications of brain science to maximize human potential.

In the 2020 elections, Amy made a bid for a seat in the New Jersey State House of Representatives on the Democratic ticket. Her platform focused on mental health issues, education, and the expansion of the Affordable Care Act. Her candidacy was endorsed by former President Barack Obama. Despite this support, Amy’s campaign was unsuccessful.

Currently, Amy lives with her husband and five children in Brigantine, New Jersey.