Thank you to Carle’s Playing it Safe for sponsoring today’s Chambana mom to know. Don’t miss this free interactive safety fair for 
all ages on Saturday, June 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana. We’ve got all the information you need to plan your day at Playing it Safe.
First and foremost, Amanda Porterfield is Christian’s mom. In her spare time, she is the weekend anchor at WCIA-3 News in Champaign. Amanda moved here nearly two years ago after being a reporter/photographer and producer in Chattanooga, Tenn. But the south isn’t where she got her start. Amanda grew up on Sheridan and Irving Park in the best city in the country, Chicago, making her a Midwest girl through and through. She went to Jones College Preparatory Academic Magnet High School, and attended Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. (Go Irish!) Amanda lives in Champaign with her 2.5-year-old son Christian, and fiance De Angelo. She is also a mentor with the Champaign-Urbana C-U One to One program.
Find out why we think Amanda Porterfield is a Chambana mom to know.
Q: What’s it like to be the granddaughter of a Chicago TV legend (Harry Porterfield), and why did you decide to go into the same business?
As a little girl, I always remember him bringing me a box of chocolate frosted cake doughnuts after church. (Which, to this day are still my favorite.) He would never bring attention to them, but I would see them sitting there on the counter and just know they were from him. And that’s kind of how he is, a low-key kind of guy that doesn’t say much, but his presence is known, and he’s always there when you need him.
He gives me funny cards for my birthday and proudly takes his video camera to any important event. The celebrity factor never really made an impression until I was older. I mean, he was a legendary journalist long before I came along. So since I can remember, strangers have approached us at dinner in awe, just to say Hi. However, it wasn’t until I actually decided to intern with him, then follow this career path that I realized just how much of a mark he’s made in this industry. That realization gave me a new level of respect and love. We’ve always had a special little bond, me being the only grandchild out of four kids, however, we’ve definitely become closer in recent years. I am very close to my grandmother, and a lot of times she steals the show. But my relationship with Harry is one that I cherish. He’s taught me a lot, and I just hope one day, I can be just as great at this as he.
As for why I decided to get into the same business, I never really thought about it like that. Like everything in my life, I took a pretty round about path into journalism. My focus in high school was accounting, I started college as an international business major, and ended up graduating with a degree in Sociology. At the same time, I’ve always been a writer, asked a lot of questions and wanted to be like Oprah. Somehow, those three things led me here.
Q: Being a TV anchor and reporter is not exactly the most family-friendly business – the news cycle never stops, and you work many nights and weekends. How have you addressed that challenge as a mom to a toddler?
My whole life, having a career came first. A lot of my college friends wanted to end up being stay-at-home moms, and I would think to myself “Why?!” Then, I had Christian and understood. Going back to work after maternity leave was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. You feel that guilt of not giving them all of your time and energy. However, I’ve turned my son into motivation to work harder to provide the best life possible, achieve my original goals, and make him proud. Being a working mom takes balance, and that’s something I still need to master.
Thankfully, my fiance and I have been blessed with great babysitters that come to our house and sit nights and weekends. I try to make sure that in some form, my son and I get one-on-one time everyday doing things like reading a book, playing with the iPad, a game of hide and seek, building a train track or taking a morning stroll. My fiance is an amazing, dedicated dad and together with faith we do our very best. But as a mom, being away from my son though, is tough and I have a whole new level of respect for mothers in general, whether they work in or outside of the home.
I will say that family plays a big part in raising any child, and in my home that’s no exception. It’s taking a village to raise Christian, so we can work. My family lives in Chicago and surrounding area and keep him every chance they can get. My future mother-in-law comes from Tennessee to visit too, and all together we make it work. I am very grateful to have such a devoted family. I have a couple of awesome friends too.
Q: How has your approach to news and the people you cover changed since you became a mom?
I’ve always had empathy which is why I think it’s easy for me to connect with people I’m covering. I always try to quickly put myself in their shoes. However, now it’s amplified. I can relate to the story if it deals with kids. I’ve also noticed, that many times in my line of questioning, it’s more natural for me to ask things from a parent’s perspective or to mention my son. It also helps my news judgement, as far as understanding why or why not a certain story would be important to people in C-U, often putting me in a hypothetical position with my own son.
Q: What has been your favorite story to report on since you came to WCIA, and why?
Since I’ve been here, the station has given me the opportunity to do a lot of great, interesting stories and it’s hard to pick one. My franchise, Hometown Heroes where I profile military men and women doing interesting things in the community has introduced me to a whole new spectrum of people. Not coming from a big military family, I have learned so much and have a greater respect and understand for those who’ve fought for our country.
Of course, I got the chance to interview Andre Davis, a man who spent 32 years in prison before DNA evidence released him. He’s now become the poster child for wrongful convictions across the country, and hearing his story was incredible. One of my favorites though was one I just happened upon during a slow news day. It was about a farmer in Paris who still worked his land after losing his arms in an accident. Despite all of that, he loved life, and was one of the nicest people I had ever met. During that interview, I had a moment that put all of my blessings in perspective.
Q: What is your dream job and why?
That’s a broad question, and really my dreams change everyday. I love my job, my co-workers and WCIA. Besides being a professional beach bum somewhere on a Greek Island, I can’t think of anything else I would rather do than be a journalist and a mom.
Q: What are you most looking forward to doing here in C-U with your son this summer?
I am looking forward to going to as many of the family events held by local organizations and the Park District as I possibly can. Last year, I was just getting acquainted, and would find out about things too late. This year, I have covered a lot of these events and can kind of expect them. Although, going to the park hands down is one of our favorite things to do. We just learned to fly a kite, and it was a big hit, so I am sure that will be a part of the agenda.
Nominate a mom or dad to know today — contact us!