From an early age,  Dr. Amato was inspired to follow in the footsteps of her Italian grandfather, who shared his love for medicine. She is a native of St. Louis, MO.  Dr. Amato attended Boston College, where she rowed competitively, and studied a year abroad Oxford University. She graduated magnum cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in Philosophy and French.   She was appointed as a Scholar of the College in the Alpha Epsilon Delta Jesuit Honors Society.

Dr. Amato went on to earn her medical degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and completed a general surgery internship at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.  She returned to Georgetown for her Ophthalmology residency where she served as a chief resident.

She then completed a 2-year fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Texas Oculoplastic Consultants in Austin, Texas and MD Anderson.  She is board-certified in Ophthalmology and is a fellow of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Amato went on to serve as adjunct clinical faculty at Georgetown University and the University of Maryland and practiced in Annapolis, MD.  She and her husband relocated to Northern California where she practiced at Kaiser Permanente, and she continued to teach and do research as an adjunct clinical professor at Stanford Hospital.

She has several publications in peer-reviewed journals and participates in state and national professional organizations including the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive surgeons and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.  She has served as a Board of Counselors Member of the California Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons and on the editorial Board of Eye-Net Magazine and participated in several ophthalmology journal committees.  She is past president of the Austin Ophthalmology Society.

Dr. Amato and her husband share the privilege of participating in medical missions to underserved countries including Vietnam, Brazil, Egypt, Zimbabwe and Cambodia. She returned to Austin, TX in 2013 with her husband and 2 young boys. Together, they enjoy skiing, camping, surfing, medical mission trips and traveling.

She is currently in private practice while participating as adjunct faculty at Dell Medical School.