Amber Brodie Sorondo is a Liberal Arts instructor at CIA at Greystone in St. Helena, CA. She teaches a range of undergraduate Liberal Arts courses and guides graduate students through their seminar and capstone projects, helping them transform complex ideas into polished, professional work that stands out in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries.
Her career path into higher education reflects the same blend of creativity and service she now instills in her students. While earning a BA in English from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, she spent time tutoring, and mentoring with an NGO in Tanzania, which sparked her passion for teaching and subsequently worked as a tutor with an occupational therapist.
She went on to complete an MFA in Creative Writing at Fresno State. During this time, she also served on the editorial board for the distinguished Philip Levine Prize and The Normal School and led workshops at the Young Writer’s Conference. She then taught writing at Fresno State, Fresno City College, Napa Valley College, and Santa Rosa Junior College before joining the CIA.
A published poet, her work has appeared in publications such as the Academy of American Poets, Mud Season Review, Glassworks, and Foothill: A Journal of Poetry. Today, she draws inspiration from Northern California’s creative culture, where she lives with her family.