Amanda F. Whittle, J.D., CWLS

Amanda Whittle was appointed as South Carolina’s State Child Advocate (SCA) and Director of the South Carolina Department of Children’s Advocacy (DCA) by Governor Henry D. McMaster on June 3, 2019. Director Whittle graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of South Carolina at Aiken in May of 1992 and earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in December of 1994. She is admitted to the South Carolina Bar and United States District Court. She is certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) through the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC).

Prior to her appointment by Governor McMaster, she was a law partner in a private law firm from November of 1995 to July of 2005 during which her practice was primarily Family Law. She was employed with the S.C. Department of Social Services as a trial attorney and circuit coordinator from July 2005 until July 2015, and she was an Assistant General Counsel for DSS from July 2015 until June of 2019. 

She currently serves on the Suicide Prevention Coalition, Child Fatality Advisory Committee, Children’s Justice Act Task Force, Medical Care Advisory Board, S.C. Bar Children’s Law Committee, South Carolina Behavioral Health Coalition, Bench-Bar Committee, Joint Council of Children and Adolescents (Chair, 2020), DSS Advisory Council, Safe Babies Courts State Advisory Committee, Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (GJJAC), and United States Ombudsman Association. She has provided numerous presentations and training sessions regarding child-related legal and practice issues. She is married to her former law partner, James Whittle, and they have three adult children and a daughter-in-law.

Director Whittle's work in the private and public sectors, along with her passion for serving and advocating for others, have prepared her to work with the great team at the S.C. Department of Children's Advocacy and with many partners throughout the state to improve outcomes for children who are served by South Carolina state agencies.