Personality tests say she is
An extrovert, a leader, empathetic, and all about people
Her superpower
Ability to teach others, advocate, and give a voice to the voiceless
Her favorite spot in Georgia
Lake Blue Ridge
When she’s not working
She’s busy managing a household of 5 kids and 3 dogs with her husband, Jim. They’re typically spending their time outside by the pool.
About Kathleen
From Advocacy to Research/Search
Kathleen’s background is in the non-profit sector. She worked with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for years and then later joined Autism Speaks as the Walk Chair. A passionate advocate for a cause near and dear to her heart, Kathleen has played a heavy role with multiple national autism organizations. Kathleen is a mom to 5 children, one of whom has autism. After not having adequate resources herself, she set out to ensure that other Georgia families in her position would have access to critical services needed to support their child(ren).
In 2015, Kathleen worked to co-author Ava’s Law, a bill that was passed into legislation, focusing on insurance coverage in the autism space. She is still heavily involved in advocacy in the neurodivergent community, but her career has led her to Handler as a Research Analyst. Kathleen holds a degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the University of Georgia. She’s confident that her experiences have given her incredible abilities to help others in this research and recruiting role.
What a Leader Worth Following Means to Kathleen:
A leader worth following is someone who leads their team as part of the team. They have deep emotional intelligence and are committed to making others better and building them up. They lead with grace and humility and focus on helping others grow, learn, and evolve to become the very best version of themselves.
Meet her 3 dogs, the Band of Misfits!
First up is Bailey. She’s the smallest of the pack but certainly wears the pants in the house. She’s a 6lb purebred Yorkshire Terrier and knows she’s in charge. She loves people and is truly “the princess” of the family.
Next, we have Mango. She’s a puggle that Kathleen’s family rescued a few years ago. Shortly after, Mango had a stroke, but thankfully she made a miraculous recovery. She’s the most laid back of the pack, only has half her teeth left, and others often comment that she’s so ugly she’s cute. Warning: She might have the worst breath on the planet. 🙂
The newest member of the pack is Dolly. She’s also a rescue and a purebred Boxer. She is a gentle giant, super independent, and an introvert. Dolly likes to do her own thing, and though she’s large, she thinks she’s a lap dog.
