Amanda Mattefs, BDHS Class of ‘04, was born and raised in Brown Deer. Looking back on her high school years, Amanda describes herself as “Ms. Brown Deer School Spirit.” She was actively involved in many extracurriculars, including choir and tennis, and performed in the school musicals. She was also Student Council President and qualified (and placed!) for Nationals for DECA. Amanda was ultimately voted most likely never to leave Brown Deer.

However, Amanda did decide to venture out and travel after college. She graduated from UWM with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and interned for Fox 6 News. Amanda ultimately realized that journalism wasn’t quite for her, so she got a job at a local retailer and started a new career in e-commerce, marketing, and social media. In 2010, Amanda decided to move to San Diego and continue her career in marketing, which included graphic design. While there, she started her own graphic design company called Apricity Creative Agency. Owning her own company provided her flexibility and the opportunity to travel, so she decided to move to Scotland for six months. Then, in 2018, Amanda made the decision to move back to the Milwaukee area to be near her family and friends. 

Once back in Milwaukee, Amanda loved getting together with her family as much as possible. It was during one of those get-togethers that she decided to make and bring a charcuterie board to share. A charcuterie board is a display of meats, cheeses and other accouterments that pair well together, such as nuts, fruits and olives. Her creative eye allowed her to make unique creations that got people talking - and she was instructed to bring one to every gathering going forward!

Amanda’s graphic design background allowed her to translate her creativity from the computer to the charcuterie board. She began selling her eye-appealing and tasty boards during the midst of the pandemic in 2020. With the help of her sister Molly (BDHS alum ‘07), Amanda has now sold over 4,000 boards. In addition to selling charcuterie boards, Amanda has created workshops to teach others how to make their own boards. You can find out more information at http://www.charcuter-me.com/

Brown Deer High School is proud of the work Amanda is doing, and she would agree “Once a Falcon, always a Falcon!!”