Communications Team: Lizel Sillman, Mugisha Niyibizi, Katie Bell, and Kathy Smith

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Event Coordinator: Kathy Smith

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Foster Home Coordinators: Katie Bell, Heather Hardin-Court and Jennifer McCant

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Animal Boarding and ShelterLuv Administrator: Stephanie Makanga

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A bit about our Founders:

Kathy Smith came to the reptile community with an interest in bearded dragons, and she most definitely is the mother of all lizards. Kathy has venomous handling training, experience with larger snakes and lizards, and has a passion for rescue. She worked for 10 years with reptile rescue all over the state of Georgia before forming GHAR, and has also been featured on The Weather Channel, "Critter Fixers: Country Vets," and Central Georgia CBS's "Tegu Taskforce." Kathy was also nominated for "Lizard Personality of the Year" in 2017 by The Reptile Report. Additionally, her animals have been featured on the FX show, "Atlanta," and she has worked as an exotic animal handler and wildlife handler for additional television series.   

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Dr. Katie Bell is an academic and teacher by day and a reptile handler by night. She has worked with Bear Hollow Zoo in Athens, Georgia, animal shelters throughout North Georgia, and with larger pet store chains, learning about the most up-to-date husbandry and working to ensure that reptiles kept as pets get the proper care. Not only does Katie have reptile experience, she also has had training with larger exotic animals and aquatics--she has a story about being bitten by a bear and yet living to tell the tale. She is a published researcher on the life and works of Charles Dickens, has been featured on "Critter Fixers: Country Vets," and has done animal education for over 20 years with children. There isn't an animal on this earth that doesn't have Katie's admiration. ​